LLANDUDNO suffered a blow to their North Wales Cricket League Premier Division title hopes thanks to a five-wicket reverse at Bangor.

The Lions’ ran the leaders extremely close before faltering late on, leaving them in fourth spot and 29 points behind their weekend opponents with six games remaining.

Jack Rimmington’s side will look to get their campaign back on track this Saturday when they travel to Northop, who have further enhanced their position as a top-flight force this term and occupy sixth spot.

Welsh youth international Owen Reilly made a massive impact with the new ball for the hosts, removing the talented duo of Sam Rimmington and Danial Evans for a duck and 19 early on, with Mathew Jones playing a Franco Kasner delivery into the hands of Andy Williams after contributing 14.

Overseas star Kasner also disposed of Ethan Hill (2) and Jack Rimmington (0) throughout the remainder of the innings to take his figures to 3-35, and Matthew Lambe was another visiting batsman out cheaply as he fell at the hands of Gareth Edwards on 10.

The away side did rally thanks to another standout knock from Luke Kenworthy who hit 68 from 88 deliveries before he was eventually removed by Michael Hughes, and the same bowler also got rid of Kevin James after he made a promising 30.

Reilly also had a huge say on proceedings late on with the wicket of Jamie Grimshaw (10) that took him to 3-36, an he also superbly ran out Tom Thornton (9) as the Lions’ were all out for 185, which was revised to 117 due to the incoming bad weather.

Despite losing opener David Winter for a duck when he was clean bowled by Evans during the opening exchanges, Reilly and Nadeem Rehman both steadied the ship with 30 apiece to put them within touching distance of their target.

Grimshaw tried to make a fight of things with the wickets of Matthew Hassall (11) and Hughes (0) to finish on 3-30, but an unbeaten 34 from Kasner ensured they reached their required total after 22 overs in the middle.