Flashback – 10 years ago: Nomads go nap and return to the summit

Connah’s Quay Nomads 5 (Collins 27, O’Toole 62 & 65, McNutt 85, Baxter 88)
Ruthin Town 0
Huws Gray Alliance
Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Ten years ago tonight Nomads sealed what was an eventually emphatic win over Ruthin with four goals in the final half-hour at Deeside Stadium.

After an even first hour, the Quay struck four times in the last third of the game to return to the top of the table.

Gary O’Toole took his season’s tally to 26 after Ben Collins had opened the scoring while Sam McNutt and George Baxter each scored for the first time in the current campaign.

Ruthin started well. Home keeper Louis Mackin had to be alert to tip one effort over his bar and then watched as a Simon Smith free-kick went the same way.

The deadlock was broken when Collins raced into the Town penalty area and fired past two defenders and goalkeeper Ben Jones in the 27th minute.

Before half time James Mcintosh saw a shot tipped round the post by Jones while Mark McGregor headed over just before the interval.

Half-time: Nomads 1 Ruthin 0

Ruthin continued to pile forward after the break and Smith tried a 25 yard drive that Mackin held safely. On the hour Jamie Petrie saw his effort from a free-kick deflected for a corner and two minutes later Nomads doubled their lead when O’Toole scored from the penalty spot after being brought down in the ‘box.

That was the signal for the home side to dominate proceedings. McIntosh saw his effort deflected for a corner on 64 minutes and a minute later a chip into the area by Craig Jones was headed down by McGregor for O’Toole to turn past Jones.

When Ruthin did get forward they rarely managed to trouble Nomads back line prompting Joe Garner to send in a piledriver from 30 yards which Mackin had to palm over the bar.

With seven minutes remaining, O’Toole was bundled to the floor on the edge of the area and substitute Sam McNutt fired the free-kick into the top corner just two minutes after entering the fray.

Teenager George Baxter was sent on for his second brief cameo in three days and he was rewarded with a first senior goal, two minutes from time, tapping in from close range after another penetrating run down the wing by Petrie.

NOMADS: Louis Mackin, James McIntosh, Ben Collins (Sam McNutt 81), Mark McGregor, Tom Baker, Craig Jones, Jamie Petrie, Alan Hooley, Gary O’Toole, Dean Thurston (Danny Forde 73), Stuart Scheuber (George Baxter 84).

Many thanks to Nomads website for report