JOE Phillips scored a well-taken hat-trick as Aberystwyth Town stunned second-placed outfit Connah’s Quay Nomads with a magnificent 4-2 win in front of a bumper crowd of 874 at Park Avenue on Saturday evening.

Nev Powell’s side condemned the Nomads to just their fifth league defeat of the season as the Seasiders moved seven points clear of Welsh Premier safety.

It was the perfect performance to mark the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Aberystwyth Junior League, with hundreds of aspiring youngsters turning out to watch the match.

Kick-off was preceded by a touching tribute to former club stalwart Dave Humphreys, with a minute’s applause being held in his honour.

After early spells of possession, Aber took the lead after just five minutes when Ashley Young launched a long throw-in into the penalty area, and Phillips was on hand to nod the ball home, from Jonny Spittle’s front post flick-on.

They almost doubled their lead when Phillips fired Declan Walker’s low cross narrowly over, but on 12 minutes the Nomads equalised.

Michael Wilde pulled away to the back post and rose highest to head the ball past Chris Mullock and into the bottom corner to make it 1-1.

The visitors looked to impose their physical approach, and Jay Owen fired over on 23 minutes, but at the other end Declan Walker saw a header sail inches wide of the far post from Young’s corner kick.

Aber did indeed re-take the lead, however, when Young sent a wicked free-kick into the six yard area towards Phillips, who let the ball float past him, fooling ‘keeper John Danby, to trickle over the goal line.

Two minutes later, Aber were in dreamland as the Nomads failed to clear a dangerous ball into the area, and Phillips was again on hand to curl the ball beyond Danby for 3-1.

Aber’s centre back pairing of Jonny Spittle and John McKenna dealt with a series long balls towards the penalty area, and on the stroke of half-time, Michael Wilde nodded home from a Matty Owen free kick, but it was ruled out for offside.

New signing Andy Owens was introduced to join strike partner Wilde up front in the second half and long balls put Aber under pressure.

Wilde again went close after a scramble in the penalty area, before Declan Poole volleyed over from Danby’s 60-yard punt downfield.

Aber landed the ultimate sucker punch on 63 minutes, however, as Declan Walker broke free down the right flank and his pin-point cross-field pass picked out Phillips one-on-one with the Nomads defender.

The former Stourport Swifts player produced a majestic step-over, before rifling a low left-footed shot into the far corner for his hat-trick.

The visitors were denied yet another goal by the referee’s whistle in the 68th minute when Jay Owen was adjudged to have fouled home keeper Mullock from a corner kick.

Four minutes later striker Andy Owens bundled the ball home after a goalmouth scramble to make it 4-2, but Aber stood strong in the latter stages to avenge a 5-1 defeat at the Deeside Stadium last month.

ABERYSTWYTH: C Mullock, D Walker, J Spittle, T Owens, M Melvin, J Owen (G Kellaway 90’), R Wade (C Hobson 70’), M Jones, A Young, J McKenna, J Phillips (L Borrelli 75’). Subs not used: J Rimmer, H Horwood, L Jenkins.CONNAH’S QUAY: J Danby, K Edwards, G Horan (A Owens 46’), M Pearson, J Heath, D Poole, J Owen, C Morris (N Woolfe 42’), M Owen, M Bakare (J Phillips 60’), M Wilde.Subs not used: R Williams (gk), S Smith, J Sullivan, C Harwood. Attendance: 847.

Read manager Neville Powell’s reaction in this week’s Aberystwyth edition