CONNAH’S Quay played themselves back into title contention over the bank holiday weekend but skipper Martin Burger says he will only assess his side’s title chances after tomorrow’s match of the day with Llandudno. Burger’s boys welcome the two-time defending champions and current leaders to Central Park in confident mood after back-to-back victories hauled them up to sixth and 44 points off top spot. The Quay, having ended a five-game losing run the previous week with a winning draw at Llanrwst, recorded their first victory since the first week of July with a nine-wicket home blast of Bethesda on Saturday. And on Monday they heightened Hawarden Park’s relegation fears as they left the Castle Ground with a 69-run success in the bag. Burger, who, Dave Powell and Matthew Needham aside, is at full strength tomorrow, said: “The confidence is back and I think it definitely showed at the weekend. “But any talk of the league title has to be left until after we’ve played Llandudno. We’ve been taking it a game at a time lately and that has served us well.” Shane Carlton was the star of the show against Bethesda, teaming up with Burger to rip the visitors apart for 153 and then combining with Darren Jones to see the Quay to 157-1 and a 26-2 points bounty. The ex-Northop Hall man took 6-55 and Burger 4-31 as Bethesda, having survived Lee Davies and Darren Leach, collapsed from 89 without loss, before he cracked 72, complemented by Jones’ 65. Carlton also played his part in the 26-4 points win at another of his former clubs, Hawarden, who restricted the Quay to 187-9, a total that would have been far less had it not been for a rapid 43 from Burger and 42 from Jones. Craig Wilson (3-47) and Scott Inglis (2-16) were the pick of the bowlers for the hosts, who, apart from Ian Martin (34), never got their reply off the ground and fell for 118, with Burger (4-35), the impressive Leach (2-6) and Carlton (2-23) doing most of the damage and Sean Steinberg-Wright taking the important wicket of Martin. The defeat capped a frustrating few days for captain Adam Doyle, who saw his team produce a fine bowling performance at Brymbo on Saturday only for rain to halt their hopes of a shock triumph. Hawarden, after Nathan Pearson (5-26), Martin (2-30) and Inglis (2-34) had skittled the fifth-placed hosts for 152, were on 55-2 when the heavens opened. Doyle, who brings in Jason Perry and Dawn Prestidge for tomorrow’s trip to second-placed Menai Bridge as Wilson and Campbell Marr are unavailable, said: “We did so well on Saturday, especially as the team was pieced together, but fair play to Connah’s Quay on Monday, they bowled and fielded very well. “But we’re still ahead of the bottom two. We’re not having to win matches and hope others lose, but it must stay like that.” | 
Flintshire Sport 
