CONNAH’S QUAY NOMADS ended a whirlwind week with a crucial three points.

Having been forced to face Dinamo Tbilisi with just 14 players after three tested positive for coronavirus and another one had to self-isolate, both the club and the Football Association of Wales had to release statements in the wake of boss Andy Morrison’s post-match comments.

The statement by Nomads read: “In a post-match interview with various media outlets, manager, Andy Morrison used the term “turned a blind eye” which has unfortunately been misconstrued by many to mean that as a club we ignored COVID regulations.

“We would like to go on record and say that this is categorically untrue and that what the manager was referring to was a number of players who may not have played had we had a fully fit squad.

“Morrison clarified this in a tweet on his own personal Twitter account, indicating that a number of players had suffered from isolated pre-match upset stomach and headaches likely down to nerves due to being thrust into the starting line-up of such a high profile fixture.”

The FAW followed that up by releasing their own statement, which read: “The FAW is further satisfied that the club followed the advice of Public Health Wales and the UEFA protocols in order for the match to go ahead as scheduled once the positive tests had been confirmed.

“In accordance with both FAW and UEFA protocols, the squad, staff and officials completed daily medical questionnaires prior to matchday and on matchday itself. The UEFA stadium entry procedures were also completed, which included a further temperature test and the negative COVID-19 result paperwork.”

And that also meant that Nomads’ home encounter with Penybont was allowed to take place yesterday afternoon.

Craig Curran returned for Nomads after missing Thursday’s Europa League heartbreak, but it was ex-Liverpool youngster Kris Owens who netted the winner for Nomads as they defeated Rhys Griffiths’ men at the Deeside Stadium.

Michael Wilde, Danny Harrison, Danny Holmes, Callum Morris, Jamie Insall and George Horan were absent for Nomads, but the reigning champions dug deep to collect all three points.

In the build-up to the game Nomads registered director of football Jay Catton, who was not named on the substitutes’ bench as Curran returned to boost the numbers.

Curran and Owens both sent headers wide of goal after Declan Poole had hit the crossbar and Sameron Dool fired wide for Nomads, who broke the deadlock just after the half-an-hour mark.

Owens was on hand to drill a left-footed effort into the Penybont net after Curran had fed Aeron Edwards, who sent the ball to his team-mate to score.

Striker Curran became the second Nomad to hit the woodwork after the interval, while the home side had to deal with some late pressure from Penybont.

Victory saw Morrison’s men climb to fourth in the table as they followed up their opening day draw with Bala by beating Penybont, the Nomads boss tweeting: Fantastic effort by everyone connected with Connah's Quay on and off the pitch.

"To produce that performance less than 3 days after a European game with 6 starters missing tells you everything you need to know about our players. So proud. Time to rest."