WESTHOUGHTON maintained their comfortable lead at the top of the Bolton League second team Premiership last weekend with a comfortable victory over neighbours Daisy Hill at St George's Oval.

The visitors batted first and despite Kishan Pindoria making 34 and James Mann 31, the rest of the batting never got going as they limped to a total of 98-9 as Ben Harrison picked up 3-9.

An unbeaten 41 from Sean Dunning led the Howfeners to a comfortable eight-wicket win.

Just six points separate the next four teams in the table as they jockey for position in the chasing pack.

Heaton kept up their challenge with a six-wicket win at Blackrod who remain well adrift at the other end of the table after an 11th successive defeat in the league.

Blackrod went in first and thanks in the main to Chris Readey (30) and Daniel Robinson (21) battled their way to 125-9 as Marcus Haslam bowled well to take 4-22.

Nigel Duxbury with 29 got the chase off to a solid start, and then Matthew Ball (34) and Ryan Garner (35no) ensured the win with 12 overs to spare.

Astley Bridge came out on top in a tight game against Horwich RMI by three wickets with just 10 balls to spare at Sharples.

Chasing a target of 170, James Cooper gave them a good start with 48 but Bridge were struggling a little on 114-7 when Alex Lowe (27no) and Mehr Khan (38no) came together to add an unbroken 56 for the eighth wicket and secure the win despite Andy Taylor taking 3-26.

RMI's total of 169-8 had been very much a team effort with Sam Little's 25 the highest of seven scores in double figures with Ramesh Patel taking 4-37 for Bridge.

By contrast, the game at Lavender Road was a low-scoring affair with the home side Farnworth being shot out in 19 overs for just 60.

Ian Ross, with a superb 6-34, and Jamie Legg (3-17) proved too good for the home side's batsmen as only Arron Rushton with 29 resisted for long.

Peter Eccles then ensured Bradshaw did not have things all their own way taking 3-32 but they managed to cross the line with just five wickets down.

Darcy Lever continue to lead the way in the Association division after an eight-wicket win at Adlington.

They chased down their target of 106 comfortably as they got there with around 18 overs to spare led by Wayne Hopkinson (29no), Bilal Khan (26no) and Gareth Hopkinson (22).

The bowling of Nav Khan (5-21) and Saj Mahmood (3-41) had earlier proved too much for the home side with only Andrew Chamberlain offering prolonged resistance on 20.

Little Hulton stay second after a five-wicket win at Eagley.

The home side went in first and found themselves 42-7 before a stand of 78 between Michael Craig (36) and Tom Mitchell (47) helped them post a total of 135 with Ian Lee taking 4-38.

Little Hulton's reply followed a similar pattern before an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 52 between Neil Jarvis (32no) and A Willis saw them to the win.

Little Lever edged past Tonge in a low-scoring game at Castle Hill, reaching their target of just 75 for the loss of eight wickets.

Don Heyes with 4-28 had helped restrict the home side to a meagre 74-8 despite Jamie Worrall making a battling 27, and then led the run chase as his side struggled against the bowling of Lloyd Sayers (4-18) and Danny Holt (3-30), eventually getting home by two wickets.

Atherton's Higham Park also saw a low-scoring game, with Walkden defeating the home side by five wickets.

The home side batted first and were always struggling against the bowling of Mohammed Razzaq (5-21) and Harry Morgan (4-18) and were bundled out for 90 with only Jack Short (24) and Michael Tomlinson (21) making much of an impact.

Thomas Gaskill made 39 to see his side well on the way to the win.

Association side Lostock pulled off a surprise victory over runaway Premiership leaders Westhoughton at St George's Oval in the quarter-final of the Stafford Trophy.

Put in to bat Lostock posted a handy 221-4 in their 45 overs with Alex Senior making a fine 94, Mark Cregan (62no) and Dan Cockton (29) as they recovered from a slow start.

Rain then interfered and the home side were asked to chase 171, but despite 37 from Charlie Honour, Ben Harrison (35) and James Burrows (31), Ryan Crombie's 3-32 helped restrict them to 161-8.

Heaton chased down a revised target of 121 to beat Farnworth Social Circle by four wickets at Piggott Street.

Christian Walsh with 51 and Liam Ashworth (31no) led the home side to a total of 162-6 in their 45 overs before the weather intervened and reduced Heaton's target.

Andrew Wareing with 4-40 did his utmost to foil Heaton's efforts, but Jake Corrigan (43), Robin Isted and Ryan Tierney saw their team home in 23 overs.

Bradshaw had a disastrous day with the bat as Daniel Cain's 4-9 helped to skittle them for just 69 with only Jamie Legg and Craig Beaumont managing double figures.

Rain then interfered after 11 overs of the Eagley reply with them on 49-4 which proved to be enough to see them through on run rate and a semi-final against Heaton.