Being County Cup weekend, the Senior League programme was decimated, but as the freeze continued, this was the only match playable. The pressure was therefore on the Nomads to avoid losing their advantage without the other leading contenders having to play. Thurnby showed in the early exchanges the reason for their revival, but with the first corner of the match on 15 minutes the Nomads took the lead. Jake Duffy put the ball into the box and Scott James headed the ball down and into the net. 5 minutes later Joe Moran finished with a header following a five player passing movement that ripped the Thurnby defence apart. As the half progressed, Joe Moran and Troy Bucalossi worked well to create chances but the Nomads tended to sit back and allowed the Thurnby passing game to become more prominent. A chance eventually came their way but Sean Bowles pulled off a good save. 10 minutes into the second-half the Nomads made it 3-0. A Danum Russell corner was touched on by Joe Moran to Troy Bucalossi who headed into the net. Three goals scored and three headers. Thurnby’s heads did not drop, they continued to compete for every ball, and it was left to Sean Bowles to maintain the three goal lead. A goal seemed the only outcome, but he showed his class by getting down to his right and tipping the ball around the post. The save was crucial because minutes later Joe Moran beat the off-side trap and placed the ball into the net for his second and a match winning 4-0 lead. It was then party time and more goals should have been scored. First, with the help of the assistant Referee, the Nomads were awarded a penalty, but the keeper saved Jake Duffy’s kick, and when the rebound was forced into the net the Referee judged a foul had taken place. Then, with time running out, Joe Moran had his chance of a hat-trick but rather than shooting first time, he tried to make sure. The delay allowed the Thurnby defence to recover and he was crowded out. With the County Senior Cup being totally replayed on the 17th January, it’s all change on the Senior League front. The re-arranged programme shows the Nomads now having to travel to Cottesmore Amateurs. Robert Morrell |