Aber Town earned a huge point against Connah’s Quay Nomads on Friday evening at Park Avenue, thrilling a respectable crowd with a gutsy performance.

Aberystwyth Town 1 Connah’s Quay Nomads 1, JD Cymru Premier

The Black and Greens were stunned by Jordan Davies’ 41st minute opener, but John Owen headed an equaliser in first half injury time, and a high paced second half failed to add to the scoring with honour satisfied at the end.​

Coming in to the game the odds were against the hosts: Nomads stood second in the league on a run of seven consecutive wins, with the hosts at the other end of the table and missing on loan stars Harry Owen and Luca Hogan plus suspended Alex Darlington.

The hosts started well with Steff Davies having a header saved by Nomads keeper Jonathan Rushton before Ben Woollam hit the crossbar with another headed attempt.

A disciplined pressing game was unsettling the visitors and earning the hosts a series of set pieces, although clear cut chances were harder to come by.

Harry Franklin and Jordan Davies missed the target for Quay, then back came Aber with Louis Bradford’s goalbound shot blocked by what looked suspiciously like a hand.

The first goal when it came was harsh on Aber, Franklin’s deft right wing cross nodded in at the near post by Davies, but the Black and Greens showed great resilience.

Iwan Lewis’ shot was deflected for a corner, Billy Kirkman saw a brilliant volley deflected wide for another corner, and from the subsequent set piece Kirkman himself sent in a cute curler from the right flank which Owen nodded home expertly in front of the Dias Stand.

Nomads enjoyed more of the ball in the second half, but struggled to create too many clear cut chances due to some super concentration, intense harrying and disciplined shape from the home side – and Dave Jones in goal.

Liam Walsh set up a chance for Aber with a deep free kick which Rushton flapped at before grabbing the ball just in front of Owen.

Jones repelled two low shots, one from the dangerous left sided Ryan Harrington, then Woollam pulled off a huge block to deny another chance in front of goal.

Franklin flicked over the bar, then John Disney was lucky to escape with a yellow card after a midfield challenge, and Iwan Lewis sent a superb angled volley towards the top corner – only to be denied by Rushton.

With nerves jangling, Quay sub Mike Wilde saw a low shot touched wide by Jones for a corner, who then caught a Wilde header comfortably to keep the scores level.

o Aber’s credit they kept attacking: sub Mark Cadwallader had a shot blocked before Louis Bradford headed Kirkman’s corner wide, then another Kirkman corner was nodded off the line.

Seven nerve wracking minutes of injury time were allocated, with an additional three added on to that, allowing Noah Edwards to hit the post with a late effort and visiting manager Neil Gibson to be sent off, but anything other than a draw would have been an injustice.

Next up is Saturday’s Welsh Cup second round tie at home to Pontardawe Town, 2pm.

• Report: ATFC