CONFERENCE high-fliers Wrexham have come to Prestatyn's aid after the Bastion Gardens club were landed with an unexpected £5,000 floodlight repair bill.
The fundraising friendly game will be at Prestatyn on Wednesday February 22 (7.30pm) and the Racecourse outfit have promised to send a strong side despite them having a scheduled Blue Square Premier fixture at Ebbsfleet United the previous evening.
Vice-chairman Mark Jones has also contacted several local Football League clubs to see if they can help and a couple more “fundraisers” are expected to be announced in the next week.
Town's floodlights have to be checked and maintained every three years as part of the FAW Domestic Licence criteria and were found to need considerable attention to both the lamps and infrastructure - work which will land the club an unexpected bill in the region of £5,000.
“The lights are a mandatory criteria essential to the fulfillment of the Domestic Licence and if the work had not been carried out by March 31 then our place in the Welsh Premier League would have been under serious threat.
"We did not want to be put in the same position as Gap Connah's Quay, who lost their place due to a floodlight issue a couple of years ago, so we had no option but to get the work done,” said Mark.
“We are grateful to Wrexham for bringing a team to help raise money towards the bill which we did not really expect at this stage of the season. Hopefully other clubs will commit to helping us out in the next few days and we will be starting a fund to find the money needed to pay the bill,” he added.
The Seasiders have now set up a Floodlight Fighting Fund which has the backing of Town's hardworking Supporters Association.
The SA have pledged a sizeable donation to the appeal and are planning events to help raise more cash towards the total and the campaign will gather momentum over the coming weeks.
THE NEW improved lights had their first airing on Friday night as Town were beaten 4-0 by title chasing New Saints.
Aeron Edwards opened the visitors' account after five minutes and just before half time Tom Roberts was given too much space and fired a superb effort past Dave Roberts into the top corner.
Four minutes after the restart Saints made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after Guto Hughes felled Carl Darlington who converted with ease and the game was wrapped up in the 67th minute when Greg Draper held the ball up well for Darlington to bag his second.
Town were due to visit Newtown in a rearranged League Cup tie tonight (Wednesday) and on Saturday head south to face third-placed Neath at the Gnoll (2.30pm).