Wilde double guides Nomads to Nathaniel Cup Final triumph

Connah’s Quay Nomads 3 (Wilde 30 & 42, Insall 46)

STM Sports 0

2019-20 Nathaniel MG Cup Final at Latham Park, Newtown

Nomads became the first North Wales side to lift the Nathaniel MG Cup since 2004 as they comfortably saw off the challenge of Cymru South underdogs STM Sports at Newtown.

The Quay had won this cup once previously, back in 1996, but the only other northern team to land the trophy in its 27-year history were Rhyl back in 2003 and 2004.

Star of the show for the Deesiders this evening was the evergreen Mike Wilde, whose two first-half headers went a long way towards clinching another honour for Andy Morrison’s men.

Sports, who had knocked out two Cymru Premier sides en route to the final, started well and twice went close in the opening 20 minutes through Marcus Jones.

Quay’s first major chance saw Jamie Insall lift the ball over the bar after fine link-play with Wilde.

The deadlock was broken on the half-hour when Michael Bakare struck a lovely left-footed cross into the box from the right and Wilde arrived right on cue to head home powerfully.

STM keeper Ben Boyer, whose heroics kept the score down, prevented a second home goal with a superb point-blank stop from Insall.

Then on 42 minutes came a crucial second for the Cymru Premier outfit. Jay Owen delivered a beautiful cross from the left and the 36-year-old Wilde rose like a man half his age to head past Boyer for a classic centre-forward’s goal.

If the final was not over before half time, it certainly was two minutes into the second period when Wilde headed high into the air inside the area and Insall scored with an absolutely stunning volley on the turn.

That was the end of the scoring, Wilde being denied a deserved hat-trick by the brilliance of Boyer before Nomads keeper Lewis Brass made his only serious save of the game. racing off his line to thwart Josh Graham.

Nomads manager Morrison said after the match: “We could have scored quite a few more, but that would have been unfair on them (STM Sports) who were absolutely magnificent – their effort was unbelievable.”