ST ASAPH’s hopes of a top three North Wales Cricket League Premier Division finish were dealt a blow as they fell to a 110-run reverse at Connah’s Quay.

The Saints were left undone by s stunning all-round display from Matthew Redinger which proved to be the catalyst behind their downfall, and they are now in fourth spot ahead of their home clash with outgoing champions Bangor on Saturday.

The outstanding Redinger started in ferocious form and turned in a knock of genuine quality before he was eventually removed by Jac Evans ten runs’ shy of his century.

Other valuable contributions came from Gareth Evans (34), wicketkeeper Darren Jones (38) and Rhys Stout (21), with Alex Baker the pick of the City bowlers on his way to impressive figures of 4-63 from a ten-over spell.

Evans also helped himself to another wicket in the form of Gareth Jones for 19 to take his tally to 2-20 as the home side set an imposing target of 267-8 from their allotted 50 overs.

Things did not begin well for the visitors as the opening pair of Mathew Ryan and Nathanael Scott were both dismissed for 15 apiece, and skipper Will Ryan fared worse and was removed at the hands of Mali Auty after contributing just six.

Darren Leach took the prized wicket of Duncan Midgley after the batsman made a promising 15, before Martin Burger also got in on the act with the scalp of Mike Thompson for 23.

Redinger than took over proceedings and decimated the middle order with the wickets of Baker (2), Andrew Bellis (0), David Lloyd (0) and Evans (0), and he also managed to remove the stubborn Jason Foulkes after the all-rounder comfortably top scored on 51 on his way to spellbinding figures of 5-33 from just seven overs.

This proved to be the difference between the two sides as the Saints mustered 157 all out in reply to suffer their eighth defeat in 19 league contests.