THERE was plenty to like about Prestatyn Town’s 2-1 friendly win over City of Liverpool last weekend.

Leon Field and Ryan Turner’s men continued their preparations ahead of the new Huws Gray Alliance season with an accomplished display, and sports reporter Dean Jones outlines the main points from the pre-season encounter.

Kersh’s quality:

On the evidence of this friendly, any success that comes the Seasiders’ way this season will be largely dependent on how influential Sam Kersh is going to be at the heart of their defence.

The former Aberystwyth Town star looks very comfortable on the ball and is an assured presence in the air, and his experience is going to be vital for a young squad that has been largely written off thanks to a number of high-profile departures.

There won’t be many better centre halves operating within the second tier this season than Kersh, who looks to be a shrewd acquisition by the new management team of Leon Field and Ryan Turner.

Squad togetherness:

Despite only being together for a few short week, it is already evident that this squad is all pulling in the same direction and enjoying their football, something that will stand them in extremely good stead ahead of their upcoming challenges.

Both Field and Turner are very demanding on their squad and this is reflected in the effort they are putting in to improve as a unit so far, and if they continue to show the same continuity when the competitive fixtures come around then they are going to be a match for most.

Hoult’s impact:

Hoult has made a very good start to life in a Seasiders’ shirt, and he provided a fantastic outlet at the business end of the field that is going to be a huge asset for the upcoming campaign.

Having someone that can stretch the field and is also comfortable on the ball is a vital asset in what is going to be an ultra-competitive HGA campaign, and although Hoult may take some time to adjust to the rigours of second tier football his talent should bring plenty of goals providing he continues to get the right service.

Alvarado’s directness:

Another recent arrival made an eye-catching contribution to their friendly success, with Alvarado’s physicality and direct running at the opposing full back playing a significant part in the triumph.

He does need to get his head up a little bit more to see the bigger picture in the final third, but his relentless running down the left hand side and his quality of delivery on a consistent basis giving Town a great outlet when they were under pressure for periods of the contest.

Hay’s leadership:

There are big shoes to fill in the Town engine room thanks to the departure of talisman Michael Parker to Connah’s Quay, and whilst Hay might not possess the same quality on the ball as the gifted midfielder, his commitment and work ethic really stood out as a key contributing factor in their victory.

He has been given the captain’s role by Field and Turner and seemed to thrive with the responsibility, organising and motivating the rest of the squad throughout what was a very encouraging pre-season outing.