LLANDUDNO suffered a dent to their North Wales Cricket League title hopes after falling to a five-wicket home reverse to Gresford.

The 2016 champions failed to recover from a disappointing batting display against the in-form Wrexham area side, and Jack Rimmington’s men are now 33 points behind Menai Bridge as they prepare to welcome struggling Hawarden Park on Saturday.

Teenage sensation Matthew Jones was unable to build on his impressive recent form at the crease after he was run out for just five, with visiting skipper Chris Ellwood taking the prized wickets of wicketkeeper Keegan Armstrong and Sam Rimmington for 14 and 28 respectively.

Last week’s match winner Will Sissons contributed four before he was caught off a Daniel Williams delivery, and the same bowler was on hand to remove Ajay Dhawan (8), Tom Thornton (15) and Andrew Christian (0) on his way to figures of 4-30 from a 12-over spell.

The Lions’ captain hit an unbeaten 17 late on, but it was not enough to prevent his side collapsing to 119 all out from their 42 overs in the middle.

Thornton got the home side off to a great start in the field when he despatched opener Matthew Thompson for a duck, with Jamie Grimshaw sending Sam Thompson back to the pavilion after he made a promising 28.

Further wickets came from Jack Rimmington and Sissons, who ousted Ellwood (14) and David Baker (2) to give the hosts a glimmer of hope, but critical knocks of 41 and 19 not out from Matthew Cree and Williams ensured the away side reached their required target by a comfortable margin with ten overs of their allotted 50 to spare.