Rhyl 2 Prescot Cables 1 CABLES continued their warm-up approach to a new season with a visit to sunny Rhyl on Saturday last.

And their performance against a League of Wales side could be described as 'encouraging' considering the absence of several of last season's regulars whose positions were taken by promising new faces.

Despite a tendency to play the ball too often into the air against taller opponents, the visitors more than held their own on a well-conditioned Belle Vue pitch on which their predecessors have often played in bygone seasons, sometimes in the FA Cup and other times in the Cheshire League and the North West Counties League.

Prescot's best came in the first half with newcomer Tony Sullivan particularly energetic and effective. After two successive fine approaches by the local lad, it was third time lucky as his left flank partner, Darren Hilditch, broke the deadlock with a tremendous goal.

But the pleasure of being in front did not last long with a well struck equaliser coming from full-back Mick Edwards.

Playing his first competitive game since February, Prescot's winner of the North West Counties League's player of the 1996-97 season award, Peter Cumiskey, was brought off in the second half to make way for Kevin Lynch, another impressive new boy.

Maybe the final score in what proved to be an enjoyable work-out for both teams, did not matter, but the hosts are to be congratulated on scoring a 72nd minute winner through outstanding Steve Jones.

Cables' defeat would have been heavier but for Phil Nolan who made outstanding saves in each half, the greatest coming in the late minutes when he achieved a spectacular one-handed save from a point-blank shot which looked certain to count.

Prescot finished their pre-season friendlies with a visit to Heswall this Saturday.

Last week's winning numbers in the club's lottery were 1,2,4,6,9,11. As there were no winners, a draw for £2,250 takes place on Sunday next in the Deanes House, Prescot at 9.30pm.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.