THE NEW SAINTS'S biggest rivals, Connah's Quay Nomads, have been docked a mammoth 18 points after they were found to have breached two disciplinary charges.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) released its ruling on Thursday, following the arbitration hearing on the matter on Wednesday, dropping Nomads to second bottom in the league.

As phase two of the league now begins, Connah's Quay will join Cardiff Met, Aberystwyth Town, Barry Town United, Haverfordwest County and Cefn Druids in the Play-Off Conference.

Caernarfon Town will replace Connah's Quay in the top-six while Nomads are now six points adrift of safety.

William Norris QC was appointed as the sole independent arbitrator by Sports Resolutions.

It was found that contrary to Cymru Premier Rule 12.6(b), two players were registered to List A after the closure of the first Professional Registration period but before the opening of the second in the 2021/2022 season.

It was further found that contrary to Cymru Premier Rule 14.1, the second player played in six (6) JD Cymru Premier matches when he was therefore an ineligible player.

In his summary of decision, Mr Norris detailed the following decisions: "I find that both charges have been proved.

"I fully accept that the Club attempted to register Player A on the evening of August 31, 2021 and believed it had done so before the window closed at midnight having submitted documentation via the COMET system at 21:50 BST.

"However, I find that, while the Club thought it had uploaded Mr Mendes’s contract (which I accept he had signed by then), it had not in fact done so.

"As a consequence, the attempted registration was rejected, notification of which was sent to the Club at 23:24 (by email).

"Unfortunately, no-one at the Club was checking that the process had been successfully completed which, of course, may be understandable in one sense given the lateness of the hour.

"Nevertheless, that was an unfortunate and regrettable omission in circumstances where compliance with the requirements of registration is critically important and when the registration was being made very late in the transfer window.

"The sanction that I must and do impose is that the Club will have 18 points deducted.

"Given the circumstances in which the breaches of the Rules have occurred and what I appreciate are very serious sporting and commercial consequences for a successful and important club in Welsh football which is run, as I accept, by good hard-working people, I do not consider it appropriate to impose any fine or fines in addition."