Preview: 2019-20 Nathaniel MG Cup Final – Connah’s Quay Nomads v STM Sports

Connah’s Quay Nomads v STM Sports
Nathaniel MG Cup Final
Saturday 1st February 2020 – kick-off 5:15pm
Venue: Latham Park, Newtown

Only a brave punter would bet against Connah’s Quay Nomads winning Saturday’s Nathaniel MG Cup Final against rank outsiders STM Sports.

It will be a first appearance in the final of a competition also known as the Welsh League Cup for Nomads since 1996, when they defeated Ebbw Vale 1-0 in the showpiece at Caersws’ Recreation Ground.

And the Cymru Premier outfit are strong favourites to overcome STM Sports of the tier-two Cymru South, where they currently sit in fifth place.

Nothing in football can be taken for granted, however. Cardiff-based STM Sports have already eliminated two top-flight clubs from the cup in Newtown and Aberystwyth Town.

Their fairy tale run resembles that of Denbigh Town’s amazing adventure of 2015-16, when the Cymru Alliance club knocked out WPL sides Rhyl, Airbus and Nomads before losing to The New Saints in the final.

Whether the same ending is in store for STM remaining to be seen, but it is hard to look beyond the Quay as trophy-lifters come around 7 pm on Saturday.

Nomads will be aiming to record only the fourth North Wales success in the League Cup’s 27-year history. Of the 27 finals since 1992/93, Rhyl have won two and Nomads one.

No North Wales club has won the competition since 2004, when Rhyl thrashed Carmarthen 4-0 in the final as part of a quadruple for the Lilywhites that season under John Hulse.

Since former Manchester City captain Andy Morrison took over as Nomads manager in November 2015, the club has enjoyed the finest spell in its history.

The Deesiders lifted the Welsh Cup for the first time in 2017-18 and under Morrison their finishing positions in the Cymru Premier have been 4th, 2nd, 3rd and 2nd.

At the end of the league’s first phase last month, they were in second spot, just four points behind TNS with another 10 rounds of matches to go.

Morrison has also led the club to four successive European campaigns which have delivered famous wins over two legs against Stabæk of Norway and Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock, as well as a one-off victory versus Finland’s mighty HJK Helsinki.

And last season, Nomads became the first non-Scottish side to reach the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup, losing 3-1 to Ross County.

PATHS TO THE 2019-20 NATHANIEL MG CUP FINAL

Connah’s Quay Nomads
R2: Rhyl 0 Nomads 2 (Nathan Woolfe, Ryan Wignall)
R3: Guilsfield 1 Nomads 1 (Jamie Insall) AET – Nomads won 5-3 on pens
QF: Nomads 4 (Conor Harwood, Nathan Woolfe, Michael Bakare, 1 OG) Flint Town United 1
SF: Nomads 2 (Callum Morris pen, Michael Wilde) Bala Town 0

STM Sports
R1: Pontypridd Town 2 STM Sports 3 (Josh Graham 3)
R2: STM Sports 4 (Chris Worsley, Lamin Conteh, Marcus Jones 2) Cwmbran Celtic 0
R3: STM Sports 1 (Josh Graham) Haverfordwest County 1 (AET – STM Sports won 7-6 on pens)
QF: Newtown 2 STM Sports 2 (Ben Ahmun, Calum Bateman pen) – AET – STM Sports won 6-3 on pens
SF: STM Sports 2 (Callum Bateman, Josh Graham) Aberystwyth Town 1

List of Welsh League Cup Finals
1992–93 Afan Lido 1-1 Caersws (Lido won 4–3 on penalties)
1993–94 Afan Lido 1-0 Bangor City
1994–95 Llansantffraid 2-1 Ton Pentre
1995–96 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1-0 Ebbw Vale
1996–97 Barry Town 2-2 Bangor City (Barry won 4–2 on penalties)
1997–98 Barry Town 1-1 Bangor City (Barry won 5–4 on penalties)
1998–99 Barry Town 3-0 Caernarfon Town
1999–00 Barry Town 6-0 Bangor City
2000–01 Caersws 2-0 Barry Town
2001–02 Caersws 2-1 Cwmbran Town
2002–03 Rhyl 2-2 Bangor City (Rhyl won 4–3 on penalties)
2003–04 Rhyl 4-0 Carmarthen Town
2004–05 Carmarthen Town 2-0 Rhyl (aet)
2005–06 Total Network Solutions 4-0 Port Talbot Town
2006–07 Caersws 1-1 Rhyl (Caersws won 3–1 on penalties)
2007–08 Llanelli 2-0 Rhyl
2008–09 The New Saints 2-0 Bangor City
2009–10 The New Saints 3-1 Rhyl
2010–11 The New Saints 4-3 Llanelli (aet)
2011–12 Afan Lido 1-1 Newtown (Lido won 3–2 on penalties)
2012–13 Carmarthen Town 3-3 The New Saints (Carmarthen won 3–1 on penalties)
2013–14 Carmarthen Town 0-0 Bala Town (Carmarthen won 3–1 on penalties)
2014–15 The New Saints 3-0 Bala Town
2015–16 The New Saints 2-0 Denbigh Town
2016–17 The New Saints 4-0 Barry Town United
2017–18 The New Saints 1-0 Cardiff Met University
2018–19 Cardiff MU 2-0 Cambrian & Clydach Vale

Competition wins
The New Saints 9
Barry Town 4
Caersws 3
Carmarthen Town 3
Afan Lido 3
Rhyl 2
Llanelli 1
Cardiff Met 1
Connah’s Quay Nomads 1

• The New Saints total includes wins under previous names: Total Network Solutions and Llansantffraid.