Welsh Cup classics No 20: Connah’s Quay v TNS (2007-08) – Pritch the hero again!

Connah’s Quay Nomads 0
The New Saints 0
AET: Nomads won 3-2 on pens
Welsh Cup second round – 2007/08

Paul Pritchard was the Quay’s penalty shoot-out hero as they sent the favourites crashing out of the Welsh Cup.

Keeper Pritchard saved three spot-kicks after 120 minutes failed to separate the sides in the tie of the second round.

The victory was no more than the rapidly improving Deesiders deserved.

They may have been without captain Gary Pinch and the in-demand Chris Williams, but their replacements in the centre of defence, Ben Alston and Adam Hitchin, magnificently withstood everything that was thrown at them by their full-time opponents.

The Saints only threatened in the early stages of the match with Mike Wilde seeing a volley come back off the bar before he was denied a simple tap-in by Alston’s last-ditch tackle.

Somewhat surprisingly given their FAW Premier Cup clash with Carmarthen had also gone the distance four days earlier, the Quay finished the stronger with Mark Cadwallader and John McAllister testing Paul Harrison.

Nomads, having lost on penalties to Carmarthen, showed no signs of nerves in the shoot-out with Allan Glover, Chris Herbert and Tommy Baker slotting home while Pritchard brilliantly denied Martin Naylor, Carl Lamb and Scott Ruscoe.

Nomads: Pritchard, Morgan, Glover, Alston, Hitchin, Jones, Cadwallader (McAllister 116), Baker, Cook (Kilgannon 79), White, Petrie (Herbert 68).

TNS: Harrison, Courtney, King, Baker, Holmes, Leah, Ruscoe, Wood (Naylor 108), Wilde, Beck, Holden (Lamb 76). Sub: Hogan.