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Football: Alan Bull joins Buckley Town on loan to bolster top-six push

BUCKLEY Town will hopefully have the services of Bangor City striker Alan Bull for their Huws Gray Alliance contest at Ruthin Town on Saturday (2pm).

Bull has been allowed to come to Globe Way to get match practice as he is currently on the fringes of Nev Powell’s Welsh Premier side.

“We are thrilled to have Alan here,” said Buckley boss Gareth Thomas.

“It is a bit of business we tried to do in the summer without success. He will give us that natural goal-scoring presence we have been missing to turn draws into wins.

“The games are getting tougher now and Alan will hopefully give us the edge to kick on and finish a high as we can.”

Buckley played Greenfield last night in the North East Wales FA Cup, a match played after the Chronicle had gone to press.

They were looking for another victory having beaten local rivals Flint Town United in the league last Friday. On a heavy pitch, the Bucks came from 2-0 down to beat Paul Davies’ team 5-3.

Shaun Beck and Stewart Carroll gave Flint a first-half lead but defensive mistakes allowed Buckley in and Matt Hughes, Derek Taylor, Carl Lamb (2) and Lee Hammond secured the points for the home side.

Not even a second goal from Beck could revive Flint.

“It was a superb advert for the league,” said Thomas. “We started awful and couldn’t complain at being two down inside 20 minutes but my players worked their socks off to get back in the game. If we had lost the game it would have been because we threw it away.”

For Davies, it was disappointing to throw away a lead.

“We should have turned that lead into three points,” he said. “But it was tough out there. Credit to Buckley for getting the game on but almost everyone has the same problem at the moment, no-one can prepare their teams properly or train because of the waterlogged pitches.

“I have long argued for an earlier start or later finish or even a summer league because playing on such heavy pitches and not training ruins the game.”

After the Buckley game Davies assessed injuries to Carroll, Beck, John Hill and Sam Jones.

Beck and Jones may be fit for Saturday but Carroll and Hill are out.

The Silkmen face unbeaten league leaders Rhyl at Cae-y-Castell (2.30pm) and Davies believes despite their injury problems Flint should be confident.

“Someone has to beat them this season, why not us,” he said.

Rhydymwyn face a vital trip to Rhayader on Saturday (2.30pm). A win would put daylight between Rhyd and the struggling group but a defeat would drag them back into trouble.

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