Aberystwyth Town 1-1 Connah’s Quay Nomads: Allen salvages point for Seasiders
Aberystwyth celebrate the equalising goal against Connah's Quay, 23 April 2022. Credit: Colin Ewart
Aberystwyth and Connah’s Quay had to settle for a point apiece at Park Avenue, as both sides brought their seasons to a close.
Craig Curran opened the scoring in the first half, before 16-year-old Cameron Allen rescued a point for the home side late on.
Both sides came into the game with a chance of finishing in the seventh spot and taking part in the play-offs, but a draw means it’s Cardiff Met who take that spot.
Both teams were forced into changes through injuries and suspensions, which led to the unorthodox centre-back pairing of Aeron Edwards and Neal Eardley for Connah’s Quay. Steffan Davies, who scored the vital winner against Barry on Monday, missed out with an injury for Aberystwyth.
Connah’s Quay had some opportunities through set pieces in the opening 15 minutes, with Curran and Mendes both coming close from corners but both failed to hit the target. Aberystwyth’s main creative output in the first half was Harry Franklin, and he came close to scoring after dispossessing Callum Morris before breaking into the penalty area, but he lost his footing before being able to get a shot away.
Mello’s footwork was a constant danger, and he showed that with half an hour on the clock, turning past Mathew Jones before unleashing a shot from outside the box, which didn’t quite curl in enough and went out for a goal kick.
The home side thought they had taken the lead with ten minutes left of the first half, after Harry Franklin beat his man with a great feint, before the ball fell to Ben Wynne in the box. His shot was straight at captain Jack Thorn who then tapped it in, but the linesman’s flag was eventually raised and the goal was disallowed.
With five minutes to go until the half time whistle, the away side opened the scoring through Craig Curran. John Ufuah’s shot from the edge of the box was straight at Zabret, but an awkward bounce meant the ball was spilled straight to the path of Craig Curran, who made no mistake from close range.
The second half started as a tame affair, with neither side having too many chances. Connah’s Quay academy product Josh Williams came close to scoring a superb goal with a strike from range, but a deflection took it over the bar. Former Aberystwyth man Paulo Mendes also had a chance to add to his side’s lead, after beating two defenders with ease but his shot was well saved by Zabret.
With fifteen minutes left to play, Aberystwyth got themselves on level terms through 16-year-old Cameron Allen. Ben Wynne ran from his own half to get into a crossing position, before playing a superb ball in to Allen, who rose higher than his marker to head home.
After that goal, both sides had opportunities to clinch all three points, with Allen unlucky not to add a second having been beaten to a cross by Oli Byrne. Jamie Insall had a chance for Connah’s Quay in the dying minutes, coming one-on-one with the goalkeeper but his toepoked effort was wide of the target.
Line-ups
Aberystwyth: (4-2-3-1) Gregor Zabret; Jack Rimmer (Sam Phillips 77′), Louis Bradford, Lee Jenkins, Rhys Davies; Jack Thorn (C), Mathew Jones; Ben Wynne, Alex Darlington (Cameron Allen 64′), Harry Franklin (Owain Jones 43′); John Owen,
Unused substitutes: Alex Pennock, Owen Orford, Jamie Jones, Kieran Booker
Goal: Cameron Allen 76′
Yellow card: Jack Thorn 61′
Connah’s Quay: (4-2-3-1) Oliver Byrne; Declan Poole, Neal Eardley, Aeron Edwards, Ryan Harrington; Josh Williams (Aron Williams 62′), Callum Morris (C); Paulo Mendes, Mello, John Ufuah (Jamie Mullan 46′, Jordan Pownall 75′); Craig Curran (Jamie Insall 62′)
Unused substitutes: McKenzie Price-Griffiths, Byron Harrison, Louis Holden
Goal: Craig Curran 39′
Yellow card: Neal Eardley 90+2′
