CONNAH’S QUAY NOMADS broke their first phase points record and strengthened their grip on second spot with a late 2-0 home success over Barry Town United.

Nomads looked set to be frustrated in their quest for victory at a windswept Deeside Stadium, but two stoppage time efforts, courtesy of Jamie Insall and Declan Poole, secured a crucial three points.

The win moved Nomads on to 46 points - one more than they achieved during the first phase last season - and kept them on the coat-tails of leaders The New Saints, who they visit next weekend.

Crucially, Nomads moved five points clear of Bala Town, who lost 1-0 in stoppage time at Cardiff Met - Will Evans on target, and nine ahead of Barry, whose goal difference is far inferior.

Nomads’ boss Andy Morrison was delighted with his side’s work during the first phase, pointing to their advantage over fourth placed Barry as one of the main reasons.

“I think the nine points and the goal difference of 20-odd is quite significant,” said Morrison of Nomads’ lead over Gavin Chesterfield’s men. “Coming into the latter stage, if we can get 10 or 15 points it’s very hard for them to get 25 points when they are playing all the top teams.

“Bala are right in there and it will be a good push going forward.

“We’ve gone past what we achieved last season over the first phase of fixtures. We had 45 points last year and we’ve got 46 with one game left.

“I can’t speak highly enough of my staff and my players. To go through Europe like we did and then to create another record like we have, I’m proud of everyone.”

Nomads thought they had broken the deadlock against Barry, who, like the hosts, were without key men, but George Horan’s header was adjudged to have been kept out of the net by Mike Lewis.

But Nomads got what Morrison felt was their just deserts as they struck twice in the dying stages to make it 13 league wins.

“We kept asking the question, and when you do and you are honest and you keep working hard, things will drop for you in the box eventually,” said Morrison.

“I thought we might have run out of time, but we scored in the 91st and 93rd minute. If they’d come in the 47th and 49th nobody would be talking about the game.

“In the first-half it was a 50/50 game, in the second-half it was 90/10, 90 per cent of the play was in their final third.

“In the first-half I thought we managed the game fantastically well. We’ve played in those conditions here a few times and with that wind and we know where we need to be, the angles, where we need to press and to clear the space.

“In the second-half we dominated and we had chances to score it before we did and it’s definitely the right result at the end of the day.”