Flintshire duo maintain top North Wales Cricket League start
Supun Eranga (52) and Nilanka De Silva (3-9) impressed as Carmel got the better of Llanrwst by 70 runs, while Buckley defeated St Asaph Seconds by 14 runs, with Chris Geary (50 not out) and Adam Shaw (4-33) in good form.
Llay suffered a six-wicket reverse in their home clash versus Abergele, who compiled 161 for four. Earlier in the day, Jack Edwards (58) and Nathan Humphreys (53 not out) helped Llay to 158 for two.
Marchwiel and Wrexham bagged their first win of the season via a 41-run outcome at home to Menai Bridge Seconds. Sam Shoemark's knock of 40 was the leading effort in Marchwiel's 164, while Shoemark (4-23) and Matt Lawrenson (3-18) helped to dismiss Bridge for 123.
Leading the way at the top are Corwen, who thrashed Pwllheli by 136 runs, with Harry Pooler (85) and Will Roberts (4-20) impressing, while Pontblyddyn Seconds (Dave Evans 38, Fraser Keay 3-20) lost out by five wickets to Ruthin.
Mold Seconds are top dogs in Division Three on the back of their seven-wicket success at Bethesda Seconds. Craig Roberts (4-12) and Chris Boulton (3-8) were superb with the ball to restrict the hosts to 77 for nine, before George Jones (50 not out) led Mold to 80 for three.
James Collier (65), Ben Griffiths (40) and Graeme Bell (5-6) were in the spotlight as Gwersyllt Park made it two wins out of two with their 47-run victory versus Llandudno Seconds, while Buckley Seconds also made it back-to-back triumphs courtesy of a 48-run outcome at Conwy Seconds.
Harri Weigh's sparkling 104 not out helped Buckley to amass 201 for four and Conwy's response was restricted to 153 for four (Toby Watson 80 not out, Harry Sprowell 3-23).
Farhan Abdulla (43) and Salu Sebastian (4-15) caught the eye in Bersham's 70-run win over Abergele Seconds, while Hawarden Park Seconds suffered a nine-wicket reverse to Denbigh Seconds.
Despite the best efforts of Harry Morris (3-15) and George Morris (58 not out), Gresford Seconds lost by 22 runs to Caernarfon.
Connah's Quay Seconds got the better of Brymbo Thirds by 29 runs in Division Four. George Cottrell (55) and Andy Tilley (3-1) starred for Quay, with Tomos Rhys (3-50) doing likewise for Brymbo.
Three wickets apiece from Oliver Heard-Edwards and Gareth Evans helped Marchwiel and Wrexham Seconds to a four-wicket success versus Ruthin Seconds, while Carmel & District Seconds lost out by 59 runs at Dolgellau Seconds.
Hawarden Park Thirds prevailed by seven wickets in their meeting with Bala and a 50-run margin of victory went the way of Mynydd Isa & Maeshafn versus Halkyn Seconds.
Stuart Applewhite (85) and Deepak Loguchetty Deenadayalu (63) were the chief contributors in the hosts' 229 (Dylan Wilson 4-22) and Callum Ferguson hit a brilliant 103 not out in Halkyn's 179 for six (MD Ziaur Rahman 4-38).
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Leader Live
6 days ago
- Leader Live
A win for Buckley who are flying high in Division Two
Supun Eranga top scored with 47 as Carmel posted 136 for seven in their 40 overs with Jack Gibson taking 4-17. Although their two openers went cheaply, Buckley triumphed with 139 for seven with Danny Peover (33), Chris Geary (52) and Jack Whitley (24) seeing them home. Amer Jamil (3-18) was the pick of the Carmel bowlers. Leaders Corwen sealed a nine wickets victory over Llay Welfare who were dismissed for just 37, Alan Jones (10) the only player to get into double figures as Steff Lloyd (6-13) and Caleb Dyke (3-12) did the damage. Harry Pooler hit 17 not out as Corwen cracked 38 for one to make it seven wins in seven outings, one more than second placed Abergele (104 for two) who defeated Menai Bridge Seconds (103) by eight wickets. Pontblyddyn Seconds lost by 51 runs against Llanrwst who were all out for 169, Nic Bould (41) and Aron Hughes (46) the top scorers as Ansh Joshi took 3 for 20. It proved to be enough as Pont were stopped on 118 with only Dave Evans (32) offering any resistance. Ruthin (87) went down by six wickets to Pwllheli (89 for four) while Buckley Seconds are up to second in Division Three following a five wickets victory at Bersham. Santhu Kj made 41 in Bersham's score of 169 with Mathew Edge and Tom Pool claiming three victims apiece and Edge than smashed 50 not out in Buckley's 174 for five. Leaders Denbigh seconds (202 for eight) triumphed by 89 runs at Bethesda with Finlay Rooke Hart (39) and John Lloyd-Williams (3-9) starring with bat and ball. Mold Seconds, in third place, won by four wickets against Caernarfon who reached 183 for six in their spell at the crease, Grant Peisley hitting 47 as Henry Roberts and David Graham both took two wickets. Daniel Williams (48) and Graham (66no) led Mold to 187 for six and victory while fourth-placed Gwersyllt Park Seconds overcame Abergele by 10 runs. Abergele were dismissed for 136 chasing Gwersyllt's score of 146 for nine. Ted Pearson (40) and Ollie Griffiths (3-8) starred for Gwersyllt. Gresford Seconds triumphed by seven wickets at Llandudno Seconds who made 164 for six. Opener Gez Jones then smashed 104 not out in Gresford's 167 for three, while Hawarden Park Seconds (121) lost by 31 runs at Conwy Seconds (152 for nine) despite the best efforts of Owen Ford (3-20) and Thomas Phillips (3-24). In Division Four, leaders Mynydd Isa & Maeshafn won by 137 runs at Carmel and District seconds after making 194 for six, Umang Desai (42) and Abs Dey (40) the top scorers. Carmel were all out for 57 with Naseer Ahmadzai taking 3-7. Second placed Brymbo Thirds triumphed by 65 runs against Dolgellau Seconds after posting 165 for eight. Dolgellau could only muster 100 for five, Charlie Croasdale (52) starring for Brymbo. Halkyn Seconds (41 for two) are third following an eight wickets success over Bersham seconds (40) as Sam Hamilton (4 for 15) and Aaron Thomas (32no) impressed, and Marchwiel and Wrexham Seconds won by four runs at Bala after making 152 for eight (Nick Husbands 42). Bala were stopped short on 148 for nine with Anthony Morris taking 5-11. Ruthin Seconds (220 for 0) triumphed by eight wickets at Pwllheli seconds (216 for three) who had Neil Murray-Williams making 105 not out but he was trumped by Toby Unsworth who cracked an unbeaten 125. Northop Thirds still lead the way in the Sunday East Division. Josh Callan (3-4) starred to bowl out Buckley Thirds for 65 in a six wicket win. Connah's Quay Thirds are six points behind in second place after a seven wicket win at Corwen Seconds. Liam Cappiello, who also top scored in Quay's 103 for three, and Andy Evans took three wickets each as Corwen were dismissed for 102. Northop Hall Fourths were also seven wicket winners against Hawarden Park Fourths, who were skittled for 105 (Matthew Leek 30, Mason Andrews 3-31, Oliver Jenkins 3-18). Aaron Wimbush top scored with an unbeaten 41 in Hall's 106 for three. Callum Ferguson hit a brilliant unbeaten 101 in Halkyn's 205 for two against Brymbo Fourths, who replied with 171 for six.
Leader Live
26-05-2025
- Leader Live
Wrexham back in second tier for first time in 43 years
The fixtures are out in exactly a month's time and all eyes will again be on Wrexham to see if they can cut it in a higher league. Rewind 47 years when Wrexham first hit the heady heights and Phil Parkinson's side will face seven of the teams they went up against in the old Second Division in 1978. They include two sides who had contrasting play-off fortunes at Wembley this weekend. Wrexham will face Sheffield United - beaten by Sunderland in the Championship final - again while the team the Reds beat to clinch a third successive promotion last month, Charlton Athletic, will also be opponents having beaten Leyton Orient on Sunday. Sam Smith bagged a spectacular double after Ollie Rathbone had opened the scoring in the 3-0 victory over Charlton just four weeks ago. Also on that 1978 list are Leicester City - relegated from the Premier League - while the other four are Blackburn Rovers, Millwall, Preston North End and Stoke City. Leicester and Blackburn also faced the Reds in their last season in the second tier, joining Derby County, Norwich City, Queen's Park Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday and Watford on that 1981/82 season fixture list. Blackburn, Stoke, Leicester and Derby have all moved grounds in that time and a lot has changed at The Racecourse too where Wrexham are at last on the rise nearly 50 years after they last made it to the Championship. Wrexham's record in 1978 against sides they'll be facing next time round wasn't bad. Their best win came at home against Sheffield United with Bobby Shinton scoring twice in a 4-0 home victory. Steve Fox and Graham Whittle also scored while the away game at Bramall Lane ended 1-1. They were unbeaten against Leicester, Blackburn and Millwall but a familiar face in the Stoke City defence - former Wrexham manager Denis Smith - saw The Potters do the double over Arfon Griffiths' side. Wrexham lost 1-0 at home and were beaten 3-0 at the old Victoria Ground where Garth Crooks scored twice in a Stoke side that featured Howard Kendall. Steve Buxton came off the bench to bag a late winner in a 2-1 home victory over Blackburn while the game at Ewood Park ended 1-1 thanks to a Mickey Thomas goal. Reds legend Thomas also scored in the 1-1 draw at Leicester's old Filbert Street ground - his final game before moving to Manchester United for a club record £350,000 transfer deal. Thomas also scored in a 1-1 draw at Charlton while his best mate and co-Wrexham legend Joey Jones got the goal in a 1-1 draw at The Racecourse. The late John Lyons scored penalties in the 2-1 win over Preston and the 2-1 defeat at Deepdale. Lyons also doubled up against Millwall, who he would sign for at the end of the season. The Buckley-born striker, who took his own life in 1982, scored in a 3-0 Racecourse win as well as netting in a 2-2 away draw. Obviously things didn't go well in Wrexham's relegation season in 1981/82 where wins were hard to come by. Dixie McNeil scored twice and Simon Hunt also netted in a 3-0 victory at Sheffield Wednesday while Dennis Leman scored his one and only Wrexham goal in a 1-0 home win over Blackburn. The Reds remained unbeaten against Rovers in their four games after drawing the away game 0-0. Ian Edwards was Wrexham's top scorer in their final season in tier two, netting home and away against Terry Venables' Queen's Park Rangers. The home game kicked off the season at The Racecourse where only 4,661 bothered to turn up to see Wrexham lose 3-1 in new manager Mel Sutton's first match in charge. Charlton were also in the same league last time Wrexham were there in 1982. McNeil scored the only goal from the penalty spot in a 1-0 home win while the London side gained revenge with a 1-0 victory at The Valley. And in the Reds' last encounters against next season's Championship opposition, 11 have been cup ties. They include the famous FA Cup 2-1 giant-killings against Ipswich Town (1995) and Middlesbrough (1999) and the thrilling 4-3 victory at Coventry City two years ago. Wrexham were still in the National League then but goals from Sam Dalby, Elliot Lee, Tom O'Connor and Paul Mullin sealed a 4-3 victory for Phil Parkinson's men. MORE WREXHAM AFC NEWS The FA Cup defeats came at Derby (2007) and eight years later against Stoke City - then managed by Wrexham-born Mark Hughes - where the Reds suffered 3-1 defeats both times. They also went out 4-1 at Blackburn in 2024 and at home to Oxford United in 2013 where Andy Morrell's side were beaten 2-1. Both trips to Sheffield were in the League Cup, including last season's 4-2 defeat at United where defenders Will Boyle and Seb Revan got the Reds goals. Wrexham's last trip to Hillsborough was in 2006 where Neil Roberts, Chris Llewellyn, Matty Done and Mark Jones scored in a 4-1 triumph. Also in the League Cup, Southampton and Portsmouth, coasted to victory. Wrexham lost 3-0 at home to the Saints in 1979, going out 8-0 on aggregate. Seven years later, Micky Quinn bagged both Pompey goals in a 2-0 Fratton Park win that secured a 4-1 aggregate victory. As for league games against the other sides Wrexham will be facing again this season, it's a case of please look away now! Wrexham have grabbed five draws including the 1-1 stalemate against League One champions Birmingham City last January where Reds midfielder Rathbone opened the scoring. The game against West Bromwich Albion was played during World War Two and it was a belter. Frank White scored twice for Wrexham in a 5-5 Racecourse draw - and that came a week after The Baggies had bagged a 6-4 win at The Hawthorns. It was a drab St David's Day goal-less draw at Swansea City in 2003 while the other stalemates were against Leicester (0-0 in 1982) and Millwall (1-1 in 2001). The heaviest defeat was at Norwich City in 1982 where the Canaries were on song in a 4-0 win. Ex-Reds striker Danny Allsopp scored both Hull City's goals in a 2-1 Tigers' win in 2005 while the other losses were at Watford (1-0 in 1998), Preston (1-0 in 200) QPR (2-0 in 2004) and Bristol City (1-0 in 2005).
Leader Live
25-05-2025
- Leader Live
Eighties were not the gr-eighties for Wrexham Football Club
Former Wales international Jones tops the appearance list for when Wrexham played in the old Second Division - now the Championship - between 1978 and 1982. The legendary tough-tackling, iconic fist-pumping defender returned to The Racecourse in October 1978 for £100,000 more than Bob Paisley paid Wrexham to take him to Liverpool three years earlier. He won the league and European Cup double at Anfield in 1977 before returning home to Wrexham 12 months later. Jones started 138 games for Wrexham, scoring six goals, while his nearby neighbour McNeil played two less matches than his team-mate but topped the scoring list with 40 league goals in the club's four seasons in the second tier. Jones and McNeil were just two of six players to chalk up a century-plus games in the famous red shirt in Division Two - Steve Fox (130), Dai Davies (114), Mel Sutton (106) and Gareth Davies (103) the others. Life wasn't rosy for the Reds after the euphoria of the title-winning 1977/78 season where Wrexham lifted the Welsh Cup and also reached the quarter-finals of both FA and League Cups. In their Division Two debut season, Arfon Griffiths' side were unbeaten in their first six but their first three home games - against Brighton, Leicester City and Newcastle United - all ended goal-less. They also enjoyed three early trips to the capital. The late John Lyons scored Wrexham's first goal in a 1-0 win at Fulham, Graham Whittle grabbed the only goal at Leyton Orient and Mickey Thomas netted in a 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic. It was one of six goals in 16 games for Thomas so it came as no surprise Manchester United made the Welsh star Wrexham's £350,000 record signing. After those two August away day wins, Wrexham didn't win again on their travels and their home form wasn't breathtaking either as they escaped relegation by just four points after finishing in 15th place. Wrexham's defence, where centre half John Roberts topped the appearance list on 40 games, was superb, conceding 42 goals all season. The Reds bagged just three more at the other end with Lyons scoring 10 of them. Dixie McNeil, Graham Whittle and Bobby Shinton contributed a combined 47 goals the season before. It was a different story 12 months later as the top trio's total totted up to just 17. The home crowds were also on a downward curve. There were 23,451 crammed in to watch Gareth Davies lift the Division Three trophy on May 1 1978. The opening day attendance at home to Brighton just 10 week later was 14,081 while 6,136 saw Wrexham sign off a disappointing season with a 1-0 home defeat to Bristol Rovers. It was a 16th place finish in the 1979/80 season where Wrexham again finished on 38 points, nine ahead of the relegation zone. The sale of Thomas didn't help Wrexham on the pitch 12 months earlier and another entertainer Shinton headed off to Manchester City in the pre-season with both £350,000 deals helping pay for the Border Stand to replace the old Tech End. TOTAL APPEARANCES: Joey Jones 138; Dixie McNeil 136; Steve Fox 130; Dai Davies 114; Mel Sutton 106; Gareth Davies 103; Wayne Cegielski 99; Frank Carrodus 97; Mick Vinter 90; Alan Hill 88; Ian Edwards 73; Les Cartwright 70; Alan Dwyer 62; John Roberts 60; Eddie Niedzwiecki 54; Steve Dowman 44; David Giles 38; Bobby Shinton 37; Graham Whittle 36; Steve Buxton 36; Phil Bater 36; Billy Ronson 36; Ian Arkwright 30; John Lyons 28; Terry Darracott 22; Steve Kenworthy 18; Denis Leman 17; Mickey Thomas 16; Simon Hunt 15; Frank Jones 8; Peter Williams 4; Neil Salathiel 4; Micky Evans 3; Steve Jones 3. GOALS: Dixie McNeil 40; Mick Vinter 25; Ian Edwards 20; John Lyons 10; Steve Fox 10; Graham Whittle 8; Steve Buxton 8; Mickey Thomas 6; Bobby Shinton 6; Joey Jones 6; Alan Hill 6; David Giles 3; Mel Sutton 2; Frank Carrodus 2; Les Cartwright 2; Simon Hunt 2; Phil Bater 1; Billy Ronson 1; Denis Leman 1; Peter Williams 1.
