.png)
First half double delight for Druids
Two goals in five first half minutes gave Cefn Druids a winning start in their Play-Off Conference campaign away at Rhyl.
Adam Hesp and Ashley Ruane marked their returns to the side by getting the goals at the Corbett Sports Stadium which saw The Ancients go above their hosts.
Huw Griffiths made six changes to the side that lost at Llanfair in the Welsh Cup last week. Naim Arsan, Stuart Cook, Michael Jones and Kyle Parle returned to the side along with Hesp and Ruane.
Missing out were Steve Blenkinsop, Fisnik Hajdari, Ellis Healing and Filippo Mosetti Casaretto – who all dropped to the bench – while Jordan Harper and the suspended Rakim Newton missed out.
The opening exchanges created little danger to either defence, but the first action came on the quarter of an hour mark when Corey Roper’s overhead kick was blocked by his marker as far as Cook. But he was tackled and Rhyl were able to launch a counter attack, but came to nothing as a low cross went behind the forward running attackers.
A long throw from the right for the hosts was flicked on towards the far post, but the visiting defence cleared the danger.
In the 31st minute Ruane crossed from the right which got a slight flick by Roper. Arsan ran on to the loose ball and cut back to shape up a shot on his right foot, but it was blocked behind for a corner.
From the resulting corner from the left the ball found found its way to the far post where Hesp was quickest to react to bundle the ball over the line.
Rhyl had been playing a high line at the back, looking to catch Druids offside in a ploy which successfully thwarted the The Ancients’ attacking plans.
That was until the 36th minute when Ruane sprang the offside trap and cut back on the left side of the penalty area on to his right foot and curled his shot in to the top far corner giving Dan Lavercombe in the home goal no chance.
Three minutes before the break Mike Pritchard almost broke clear. He sent a diagonal ball towards Roper, but the attempted pass was cut out as far as Cook, who shot over from 30 yards out.
Rhyl 0
Cefn Druids 2 Adam Hesp 31 Ashley Ruane 36
