A late substitute's goal condemned Penybont to a frustrating 1-0 defeat away to GAP Connah's Quay FC. H. Mehasseb struck in the 88th minute to settle a tight Premier League contest on Saturday, halting Penybont's recent strong run.
The result leaves Penybont third in the table with 27 points from 12 games, now seven points adrift of leaders The New Saints. The visitors had been on a run of four consecutive wins, a sequence you can review in our stats section, but found a stubborn opponent at Deeside Stadium.
A disciplined stalemate broken late
The match was a cagey affair with few clear chances. Penybont's discipline wavered as they collected five yellow cards, with Tom Mehew, Dan Barrow, Dan Jefferies, Luke Shephard, Moussa Manga and Eliot Vaughan all cautioned. Manager Rhys Griffiths made a double change in the 72nd minute, introducing Chris Venables and Eliot Cann for Tom Walker and Dan Barrow.
Connah's Quay manager Neil Gibson responded with a triple substitution a few minutes later, one of which proved decisive. Mehasseb, who had only been on the pitch for 13 minutes, found the net with two minutes of normal time remaining to snatch all three points for the hosts.
With no further chances of note, Penybont's unbeaten run was over. They must now regroup for their next assignment, an away trip to face Cardiff MET on 31 October. Cardiff MET currently sit seventh in the standings.
Connah's Quay manager John Disney said the quality of the match showed why both teams are in the top three. "I can see why," Disney told the club. The decisive 88th-minute goal came after Harry Franklin's shot fell for Hussein Mehasseb. Penybont, third with 27 points, must now regroup after seeing their four-game winning run end.
