PENRHYNCOCH boss Gari Lewis hailed the work ethic of his players after they boosted their prospects in the Huws Gray Cymru Alliance with a crucial 2-1 victory over Holyhead Hotspur at Cae Baker.

Steff Davies got the first on 13 minutes, and Rob Murfet doubled the lead with a fine strike on 73, before Reece Brown pulled a goal back deep into injury time.

Penrhyn’s third league win of the season opened up a four point gap on the bottom three teams, and although they remain 11th, one of four sides on 11 points, they are now in touching distance of mid table.

Lewis said the tireless endeavours of an unchanged team won the day, after more than matching a stubborn Holyhead side.

“It was a fantastic result,” he said. “We all know that Holyhead are a hard working team, and I asked the players to match that, which they did. In fact, we more than matched them for effort and commitment.

“We won all the battles, and had we taken a couple more of our chances, then we would have won more comfortably.

“It would have been nice bonus to keep a clean sheet, but the important thing was the result, as well as the performance.”

Davies, a handful in the box, made the breakthough when his shot wrong-footed keeper Paul Pritchard on 13 minutes, and the Roosters could have added to that lead, with Jonathan Evans also going close.

At the other end the busy Mel McGinness fired over, but the home side were pulling the strings and Pritchard had to come out quickly to block Evans on 27 minutes.

The visitors started the second half on the front foot, but Pritchard still had to come to the rescue with his feet from Evans.

John Littlemore’s curling shot drifted the wrong side of the far post for the visitors, but Penrhyn doubled their lead when Liam Lewis, who worked tirelessly in a three-man midfield, pulled back for Murfet to crash home from the edge of the box.

A cross from the right by Dan McGinness was dealt with well by the home defence, who were resolute throughout, but with four minutes of added time played a long throw by Keiron Hilditch found Brown, whose well struck shot found its way past a ruck of players and into the home net.

PENRHYNCOCH (v Holyhead Hotspur): L Jenkins, E Evans, J Foligno, S James, C Jones, C Davies, L Lewis, R Murfet, O James, J Evans (R Garner 82), S Davies. Substitutes, not used: M Mousley, S Meredith, N Warren.