Nomads stay top with a 3-1 victory over Cefn Druids.

Connah’s Quay welcomed Cefn Druids to the Deeside Stadium on Tuesday evening just three days after the Nomads hard fought IRN BRU cup win over Coleraine.

Manager Andy Nomads made three changes to the starting line up, with keeper John Danby returning from injury to make his 100th start for the club.

Laurence Wilson and Michael Bakare earned calls up, with Andy Owens starting on the bench.

Nomads had a chance to stretch their lead at the top of the WPL over nearest rivals TNS who take on Llandudno Town at home on Wednesday.

It was Druids who took the initiative with Nathan Peate putting the visitors ahead after just seven minutes.

Druids had a great chance to go two up soon after Dean Rittenberg won a penalty, Neil Ashton stepped up, but Danby saved his low and centred effort to keep the score at 0-1.

Photos by @nikitasmesney

Morrison shuffled things around at half time and brought on Andy Owens and Rob Hughes for Ryan Wignall and Michael Wilde.

Early pressure paid off with Nomads finding the equaliser on 52 minutes, Craig Jones took the ball along the byline, dragging a pass back to Bakare who sent a powerful effort in from eight yards out.

Just four minutes later, Rob Hughes scored a sensational goal to give Nomads the lead.

After his free kick from 25 yards hit the wall,Hughes found the ball on the edge of the Druids’ area to send the ball into the top left corner.

Cefn Druids captain Ashton was shown a red card after receiving a second yellow for blocking a Nomads run on the right wing.

Callum Morris rounded the evening off with a third from close range, the win extends Nomads lead at the top of the WPL to 5 points.

Speaking after the game, delighted Nomads manager Andy Morrison said:

“It was an outstanding performance, we dominated the whole game we moved the ball, we created overloads, we’ve had possession and put countless balls in the box.

We caused them no ends of problems but nothing would fall for us, we could have been two nil up in the first five minutes we started that well.

Then we get done with a poor defensive decisions, i know exactly why it was, i’ve got it on the video i’ll show it to the lads and i’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again

The first goal could have been so easily stopped, then we give a penalty away, we save that and that’s the turn in the game.

The right result in the end was 3-1 though it could have been five or six.

We absolutely battered them the whole game and i’m absolutely chuffed to bits because it’s so easy to fall down in them kind of games, Huw (Griffiths – Druids manager) is an excellent coach and know how to block games off.”

On Rob Hughes wonder goal Morrison said:

“I just said to Rob Hughes, its either the sublime or the ridiculous! If i can get something in between that and get it a little bit closer, the extremes, i’ve got a very talented footballer because the lad is so talented but, one decision is incredible and then the next one is mind baffling – but Rob knows that.”

Nomads head to Oswestry on Saturday to take on second placed The New Saints on Saturday.