NEWLY promoted Abergele started life in North Wales Division One with an eight-wicket loss at Northop. The home side elected to bat and opener Darren Williams made just 16 before he was removed by Owen Lynam, while opposite number Lloyd Hayes contributed 30 before he was clean bowled by the impressive David Moulsen. This proved to be a fleeting joy for Gele, with unbeaten knocks of 39 and 13 from Gareth and Matthew Williams enabled the hosts to declare on 112-3 from their 24 overs. The writing was on the wall for the away side when they lost opening duo Ben Garnett and Moulson for a pair of ducks, while Martyn Hedge made just eight before he was caught and bowled by Andy Poynton. The same bowler also took out the influential trio of skipper Edward Rooney (4), Karl Higgins (1) and Gareth Edwards (2) on his way to stunning figures of 6-24 from 12 overs, and despite resistance coming in the form of Mike Thompson (39) and Jain Sebastien (27), they fell just short of their required target and ended on 110 all out from 42.4 overs. Rooney’s side will look for their first points of the new campaign on Bank Holiday Monday when they host Gwersyllt Park.