ST ASAPH were dealt a near fatal blow to their North Wales Cricket League Premier Division title hopes as they suffered a narrow 67-run home loss to long-time leaders Menai Bridge.

The top-two clash went the way of the championship favourites in a contest that saw the Saints fail to reach a revised target following interruptions due to the weather.

Will Ryan’s men slipped to fourth spot in the standings after the loss, and they are now 38 behind Bridge ahead of their must-win trip to second-placed Brymbo.

Despite the eventual result it was the home side who began the better as David North dismissed Luke Jones for eight, and Jason Foulkes got in on the act early on after trapping Jack Gower lbw for 14.

Bridge skipper Dion Holden was caught off a Rich Marsh Evans delivery after making a promising 26, and the same bowler was on hand to send Robbie Jones back to the pavilion, but not before the talented batsman got his side back into the contest with a superb 50.

There was further success for the visitors thanks to a score of 21 from Gethin Roberts, and Gethin Long put them in further command of proceedings before he played a Danny Ryan ball into the hands of Paul Fleming two short of his century.

This enabled the away side to set a target of 243-7 from their allotted 50 overs, which was revised to 219 from 43 after the weather delays.

Long wasted no time in continuing his good form by clean bowling opener Mathew Ryan for five, with Gerallt Roberts taking the prized wickets of Nathanael Scott (29), Duncan Midgley (14) and Fleming (6) on his way to figures of 3-36 from eight overs.

Will Ryan (25) and Foulkes (24) tried to make a fight of things before they were ousted by Ashley Wood and Holden, with the former taking a pair of wickets late on in the form of Ben Murphy (7) and Marsh Evans (0) as the hosts made 151 all out in reply.