A STUNNING strike by John Owen gave Aber a deserved share of the spoils after a battling display against last season’s JD Cymru Premier runners-up at Park Avenue on Friday evening.

Based on an excellent defensive display, the Seasiders showed that they offered plenty of threat on the counter as well.

Aber boss Anthony Williams said: “We knew were weren’t going to get the ball for long spells, we knew they’d cause us problems. We protected centrally and we also knew we could catch them on the break with probably the lack of speed they’ve got at the back.”

Connah’s Quay Nomads took no time to get going with Chris Marriott forcing Dave Jones into an early save.

Callum Huxley had a free kick saved soon afterwards at the other end but the visitors went on to dominate the half.

They created a series of chances with Eliot Duggan and Noah Edwards sending efforts over the bar.

Devon Torry went close on a couple of occasions for the Black & Greens against the tide with Declan Poole, Edwards, Fumpa Mwandwe, Rhys Hughes and Aron Williams threatening at the other end before the ref blew his whistle at the end of a big defensive half for Aber.

The Nomads continued to boss possession after the break that led to a number of half chances, Williams and Mwandwe failing to find the target.

Jonathan Evals also tapped wide for Aber after a surging run and cross down the right by Owen before the visitors made the breakthrough in the 66th minute.

Substitute Luca Hogan sped down the left and delivered a dangerous cross into the area which Aber failed to deal, the ball eventually falling to Mwandwe to score from close range to give Nomads the lead they had worked so hard for.

If anything the goal livened the hosts more than the visitors.

Jack Thorn headed wide at the near post from Evans’ cross, then with a quarter hour remaining Iwan Lewis’ speculative ball into the box was cleared only as far as Owen, and the Aber legend controlled the ball before sending a right footed volley arching over Nomads keeper George Radcliffe for a superb goal and which sent the Dias Stand into raptures.

The Black and Greens now faced even more pressure, but with Thorn and Louis Bradford outstanding at the back, and Dave Jones commanding in goal, they held firm.

Corner after corner piled in, but six nervy minutes of injury time created no more clear cut efforts, and finally the whistle went and Aberystwyth’s efforts were rewarded with a well earned point.

Aber host Barry Town on Friday with an 8pm kick off.