Cardiff Met shock Connah’s Quay as Jones and Rees strikes send Met top
Cardiff Met came out on top against Connah’s Quay Nomads as Ryan Jenkins won his first JD Cymru Premier match as manager.
Met had the first chance straight from the kick-off as Tom Price had an effort stopped by Andy Firth from outside the area.
Harry Franklin had the first chance for the away side as he had an effort going over the bar
The game remained in the Archer’s control until Franklin had a shot saved by Alex Lang in the Met goal.
Lewis received a yellow as he fouled Franklin on halfway as the Nomads took it quick as Franklin had an effort stopped by Lang at the near post.
Met piled on the pressure as the Nomads’ defence crumbled as a quick throw and delivery from CJ Craven caused Firth to drop the ball as Sam Jones was there to capitalise.
It was a deserved lead for Ryan Jenkins’s side as the Met defence kept Michael Wilde and the Nomads’ attack at bay.
Matt Chubb hit a counterattack following a Nomads player giving the ball away as Ben Nash was booked for bringing the full-back down.
Chubb was at it again as he managed to keep the ball in play as he played the ball to Chris Baker who hit a sweet half volley which went just inches over the crossbar.
The final chance of the half went to the Archers as Rees had a powerful shot stopped by the Nomads’ keeper.
The Nomads kicked off the second half as Michael Wilde warned himself an early yellow as the forward brought down a player on the halfway line.
Met took the free-kick quick as Lewis Rees delivered a cross into the middle as no Archers player could connect with a touch to convert a possible second.
Chances were come and go with no real chances for either side as Danny Holmes hit a cross into the penalty area as Franklin headed wide.
George Horan received a booking for fouling a Met player as well as standing in front of a quick met set-piece.
In frustration, Joe Malkin also received a yellow as he collided with Kyle McCarthy following a missed chance.
As Met searched for another, the quick-thinking Craven delivered a perfect ball over the top into the penalty box as Rees just missed the ball as it went out of play.
Chances kept coming for Ryan Jenkins’s side as Harry Owen skipped past Horan as he delivered a sweet ball into the box with no met player in sight to tap home.
Met kept chances coming and coming as the Archers finally got the second goal they deserved as Owen ran past two defenders to deliver the ball to Lewis Rees to convert home.
This type of goal could have been scored several times in the game today by Met as Ryan Jenkins’s side finally grabbed a goal from it.
It was nearly three-nil soon after the second as Price hit a sweet strike from a distance as Firth made a great stop to deny the midfielder.
The Archers held on as this was the first win over The Nomads since winning promotion to the Welsh Premier back in 2016.
Following the result, Cardiff Met go to the top of the league after the first match of the season.
