ST ASAPH suffered a blow to their North Wales Cricket League Premier Division title hopes as they fell to a narrow ten-run loss at Pwllheli.

The Saints travelled to the game with ten men and this proved to be telling for the overall outcome, despite a sensational innings from Duncan Midgley almost getting them over the line.

Their third reverse of the season leaves Will Ryan’s men in fifth spot in the standings and 29 points behind Bangor ahead of their trip to Northop on Saturday.

Jason Foulkes wasted no time in making an impact with the new ball by disposing of home openers Lawrance Barraclough and Iain Metcalfe for one and 14, with Liam Moores taking the prized scalp of Morgan Murray-Williams after the skipper contributed 20.

The away side were having some considerable joy early on as Ryan got rid of Craig Edwards for 12, and Midgley got in on the act with the wicket of Logan Rhys Morgan (15).

Danny Ryan tore through the lower order with the scalps of Adam Williams (26), Kalim Syed (16) and Iwan Moore (1) to finish on figures of 3-53, with Foulkes taking his tally for the day to 3-46 by removing Ioan Roberts for a duck.

The one constant throughout the innings was Tristan Coetzee, who produced an innings of genuine quality before he was caught off a Midgley delivery on 80 from 74 balls, enabling the hosts to post a total of 205 all out.

Things did not begin well in the middle for the Saints as Alex Baker was trapped lbw by Murray-Williams on two, but a standout partnership from Midgley and Nathanael Scott put on 139 for the second wicket before the latter was eventually dismissed for 47.

Midgley fared much better and played some wonderful strokes throughout his knock, which ended two runs shy of his century at a critical stage of the innings.

These efforts at the crease were not replicated by the rest of the batting order, with only Danny Ryan (15) making it into double figures thereafter as the away side made 195-9 in reply.

Murray-Williams was the pick of the home bowling attack, claiming six wickets for the loss of just 42 runs.