MARTIN BURGER is confident that Connah’s Quay can kick-start their Premier Division campaign with a home win against Gresford.

The top-flight has an unfamiliar feel about it with Quay languishing at the wrong end of the table having failed to win any of their five completed matches this term.

But having ran St Asaph close with a depleted side, Burger believes Quay can end their wait for victory against Gresford, who are hovering above the drop zone.

“We can kick-start our season this weekend,” said captain Burger, who has Scott Adams and Tom Hooson back available. “We will take the positives out of the St Asaph game and look to go from strength-to-strength.

“We’ve not won yet, but we’ve only played five matches. Any team can get on a bad run and hopefully we can start picking up from this weekend.”

There were promising signs at St Asaph last weekend, even if Quay were on the wrong end of a 27-run defeat.

Having restricted their hosts to 232 for nine, Burger struck an 89-ball 124 and Matt Redinger hit a half-century to take Quay close to victory.

“They started really well and we fought back. They looked like they were going to get 300-plus at one stage,” said Burger. “Then Matt and myself got some runs, it’s just a shame we fell short.”

Burger will be hoping Redinger and himself can maintain that form against Gresford, the skipper adding: “No team is to be underestimated, but we are taking the positives out of last week and looking for victory.”

Gresford head to Central Park on the back of a six-wicket win at Hawarden Park, which left them 17 points clear of the bottom three.

Captain Chris Ellwood said: “It was a great win Saturday and much needed.

“The gap between us and the relegation zone looks better now, but we need to keep going.

“Connah’s Quay away is always a tough game and I can’t see them being bottom for too long, but it’s a good chance to create a bigger gap with a win.”

Northop are a place and 16 points better off than Gresford as they make their way to Pwllheli tomorrow.

Hawarden Park, meanwhile, are looking for a repeat of last season as table topping Menai Bridge head to Moor Lane.

The Flintshire outfit boosted their survival hopes last August when they beat visiting Menai by 14 runs having posted just 151 for nine.

Hawarden go into the contest on the back of a disappointing defeat to Gresford, but returning captain Ian Martin is confident.

“We will take the positives from last week and build on them,” he said. “They have won every game so far but we’ll be concentrating on what we do and trying to control the match from that perspective.

“We know if we perform at our best we will give anyone in this league a good game.”

Chirk are “excited” for the “tough” ride that lies ahead, according to Andrew Swarbrick.

The Holyhead Road outfit have lost all six of their completed matches this season to leave them rooted to the foot of the top-flight..

A trip to Brymbo awaits Chirk this weekend as they they look to get their first win on the board, Swarbrick insisting that his side won’t give up on their survival bid however difficult it gets.

“We are still positive,” said captain Swarbrick, who saw his side beaten by seven wickets at the hands of Bangor last weekend.

“At the end of the game we make sure we are not too down in the dumps and we will never lose that chemistry in the group.

“We are in for a tough ride, but we are excited for it and excited for the rest of the season.”

Switching his attentions to the prospect of opening his side’s account for the campaign with a derby win at Tan-y-Fron, Swarbrick continued: “They are a quality outfit and we have to make sure we bat and bowl as well as we can, we can’t keep doing one or the other and expect to win matches.”

Brymbo are looking to forget their defeat to Menai Bridge by beating a Chirk side which they won’t underestimate.

The Wrexham-based side were pleased to bowl Menai out for 200 last week, but less happy as they followed that up with just 122.

Captain James Claybrook said: “It was a disappointing result for us after bowling extremely well on a hot day to restrict them to 200.

“It could have been less if we took our catches but all in all a great effort to restrict a good batting side on a good deck.

“Then to be dismissed for 120 was very disappointing, especially in the manner of the dismissals which was very soft. It’s about going to back to basics for us now, taking our time, building an innings and batting time.”

Brymbo will be taking one game at a time as they look to claw back the 30 points to leaders Menai, starting against Chirk.

“We need to start batting better and get some form at the crease,” continued Claybrook. “Once that comes I’m sure performances will be considerably better.

“Chirk have had a tough start to the and we are extremely friendly with the lads, but we still have a job to do and we definitely won’t be underestimating them.

Connor Davies returns for Brymbo, who could be without Rasaratnam Shah and Mike Wright, while Adam Shillcock remains sidelined for Chirk.

Elsewhere, Bangor and St Asaph clash at Ty Newydd with both sides locked on 76 points and Llandudno make their way to Denbigh.

Other fixtures - Division One: Bethesda v Mochdre; Conwy v Llay Welfare; Dolgellau v Pontblyddyn; Llanrwst v Abergele; Mold v Bersham.

Division Two: Gwersyllt Park v Carmel and District; Bodedern v Corwen; Halkyn v Mynydd Isa; Llangollen v Buckley; Marchwiel and Wrexham v Ruthin.

Second XI Premier Division: Gresford 2nds v Denbigh 2nds; Llay Welfare 2nds v Buckley 2nds; Menai Bridge 2nds v Brymbo 2nds; Mochdre 2nds v Bangor 2nds; Northop 2nds v Hawarden Park 2nds.

Second XI East Division: Chirk 2nds v Marchwiel and Wrexham 2nds; Maeshafn Argoed v Halkyn 2nds; Rhewl v Castell Alun; Ruthin 2nds v Connah’s Quay 2nds.

Second XI West Division: St Asaph 2nds v Dolgellau 2nds; Abergele 2nds v Llanrwst 2nds; Caernarfon v Llandudno 2nds.