CEFN DRUIDS will only benefit from their Europa League exploits insists chairman John Hughes.

Huw Griffiths’ side bowed out in Trakai last night after former Everton winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov scored the only goal from the penalty spot to seal a 1-0 win and 2-1 aggregate victory.

Talking to the official Welsh Premier League website, Hughes said: “We are very proud. Everybody has worked so hard over the last two weeks, first of all to get the first game at home done and coming here has been a fantastic experience.

“Representing Wales is fantastic for our club and we are very proud to do it.

“The result is obviously important, but the experience is, probably at this moment in time of our development, far more important.”

Connah’s Quay Nomads will finish their pre-Europa League friendly schedule with a match against an Inspire Sports Management XI tonight at Cefn Druids’ The Rock (7.30pm).

Ahead of next Thursday’s preliminary round meeting with Shaktyor Soligorsk, Nomads will face a side that will include Mathias Bakare, brother of Quay striker Michael, and John Oyenuga, who spent time at the Deeside Stadium last season.

ISM represent a number of players throughout the football pyramid and recently attended a day at Jamie Vardy’s V9 Academy.

The New Saints, meanwhile, completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s Champions League first qualifying round home clash with FK Shkendija against Steven Gerrard’s Glasgow Rangers.

A goal in the first five minutes from striker Dean Ebbe gave the Saints the lead, but Rangers proved too strong in what was Gerrard’s first game in charge, winning 3-1.

Serge Atakayi, Jamie Murphy and Ross McCrorie scored for Rangers, and despite the defeat, TNS manager Scott Ruscoe was happy with his team.

“We started well and put in a really good first half performance,” he said. “But with them making 11 changes at half time and bringing on more quality, it was always going to be difficult. Rangers have some very good players and looked a lot better than the side we played this time last year.”

Rangers are preparing for their own European campaign but in the Europa League not the Champions League. Gerrard’s men will face FC Shkupi, who finished fourth in the Macedonian League, 40 points behind TNS’ opponents Shkendija.