CEFN DRUIDS’ impressive charge into the Cymru Premier’s top half continued with a 2-0 victory over previously-unbeaten Connah’s Quay Nomads at The Rock.

Goals at the end of each half from Cody Ruberto and Joe Faux proved decisive for the in-form Druids, who inflicted the Nomads’ first defeat in 23 games.

Delighted Druids boss Huw Griffiths, whose side have now won seven of their last eight league fixtures, hailed a dogged and determined display from his side.

“I’m so proud of the players and the resilience they showed,” he said.

“Being the first team to inflict a domestic defeat on a very good Nomads side, it felt like a real honour to take that record off them.

“You have to give Nomads a lot of credit, they dominated possession and passed the ball around as well as I’ve ever seen them do it.

“They had us under the cosh, particularly in the first 20 minutes but we stood up to it and defended brilliantly when we had to.

“We had a gameplan that we stuck to and looked to hit them when we could with our counter-attacks.

“We’ve got dangerous players in our side who can hurt teams with their pace and quality on the ball - as Joe showed when he’s run the length of the pitch to get our second goal.

“But it was the desire and hunger we showed throughout, which was most pleasing aspect for me.”

Nomads, who were without suspended duo Michael Wilde and George Horan, made a strong start, with Danny Holmes heading wide from Michael Bakare’s fourth-minute corner.

Despite being on the back foot for much of the first half, Druids went ahead just before the interval when Faux beat Nomads keeper Lewis Brass to a long ball to the edge of the box before crossing for Ruberto to head into an open goal .

An end-to-end second half saw both sides go push for the game’s second goal with Nomads’ Callum Roberts going close on 82 minutes with a close-range volley which looped just over the crossbar.

But Druids’ victory as sealed on 90 minutes when Faux won possession on the edge of his own box before charging upfield and slotting the ball under Brass.

The result dealt a hammer blow to Nomads’ title chase, with league leaders The New Saints now four points clear at the summit after they were impressive 4-1 winners at Barry Town.

Nomads manager Andy Morrison said: “That was probably the most disappointing part of the game - that there was no end product to our dominance.

“I said to the lads that the scoreline shows two-nil but Druids haven’t won the game - we’ve given the game away by not taking their chances, by not being productive in their half, and making two errors that gave them their two goals.

“So that’s hard to take, but we have to bounce back and we will.”