AN EMPHATIC performance from Astley Bridge helped them to keep up the pressure on Farnworth Social Circle at the top of the Bolton League Second XI Premiership.

Darcy Lever's decision to bat first came spectacularly undone as superb bowling from Mehr Khan (6-15) and Paresh Patail (4-19) shot them out for just 35 inside 15 overs.

Umair Altaf battled through to carry his bat for 16 in a vain effort for the visitors.

Ady and Jamie Cooper then made short work of the target.

Circle stay top of the table after being made to work hard for a 29-run win at Little Hulton.

Having been restricted to 154-9 they managed to keep the pressure on the home batsmen, taking wickets at regular intervals to eventually dismiss them for 129 in reply.

Brian Kelly, with 49, provided the main resistance as Joshua Roscoe (4-44) and Carl Glover (3-24) shared the bulk of the wickets.

Kelly had earlier grabbed 3-54 as he and Jon Wallwork (3-18) combined to restrict the Social innings. Simon Harrison (45 not out), Tim Barrow (36) and Jamie Bohannon (27) scored the bulk of the runs.

Bradshaw stay in third after a 69-run win at St Georges Oval.

Batting first they posted a total of 198-4 with Cian Dickinson making 58, Nick Palmer 59no and George Booth 26no.

Westhoughton never really got going in reply as they lost wickets at regular intervals.

Seb Miller shored up the top order with 42 and James Burrow the lower order with 35 but the rest struggled. Ian Ross, with 3-14, was the pick of the bowlers.

Heaton picked up a good three-wicket win at Horwich RMI as they chased down their target of 165 with 11 overs to spare.

The run chase was a real team effort with six in double figures, led by Mikaash Halai (32) and Gary Garner (25no) as Andy Taylor picked up 3-40.

RMI had earlier posted 164 thanks in the main to a patient 58 from Phil Cavill, supported by Sam Little (20) and Daniel Hunt (21) with Lee Halliwell (3-41) the pick of the bowlers.

Kearsley batted first at Farnworth and rattled up 186 in 37 overs before being bowled out.

Joe Capstick (45) and Jack Pellowe (33) were the highest of six scores over 20 in a good team effort as Abdullah Ishaq grabbed 3-53.

In reply, only Muhammed Khan (37) and Umer Ishaq (33) provided any real resistance to the bowling of Raj Pushparajah (4-12) as they subsided to 105 all out.

Eagley stay top of the Association after an epic battle with Daisy Hill saw them win by just one run.

Batting first they put together a total of 195-8 which had looked unlikely at 105-6 (Tom Mitchell 30) before George Jackson (27no), Gareth Monk (26) and Harvey Seigne (25) staged a late recovery as Daisy Hill's bowlers spread out the wickets.

Ten-man Daisy then made a terrific attempt to chase down the runs, falling agonisingly short with an over to spare. Again it was very much a team effort with Chris Charters (30) the pick of the top order before a valiant effort from Joe Leeming saw him stranded on 39no when the last wicket fell. Monk (4-42) and Seigne (3-59) were the pick of the bowlers.

Lostock stay second after a hard-fought 17-run win against Walkden at Chew Moor.

A fine all-round performance from Mo Razzaq was not quite enough for the visitors as he followed up figures of 4-34 with pretty much a lone hand with the bat, making 44.

Sam Barlow top-scored for the home side with 30 with four others reaching double figures in a total of 124.

Darren Parr then produced a superb spell for Lostock, taking 6-36 with good support from veteran Ryan Crombie (3-28) to bowl Walkden out for 107.

An excellent unbeaten 103 by Andrew Leyland, together with 59 from Andrew Chamberlain, helped Adlington post 249-4 on their way to a comprehensive 79-run win against neighbours Blackrod at Huyton Road.

The pair added 123 for the first wicket and the home side never looked back despite Nathan Mayor taking three wickets.

Blackrod recovered from 17-2 thanks to Paul Gregory (20), Tom Keegan (31) and Matt Baty (49) but in truth never really threatened the win as Zac Green took 3-55 and Rob Anderton 3-33.

Tonge moved into fourth on the back of a 148-run thrashing of Atherton at Higham Park.

Put into bat, they smashed 272-6 after Wayne Cook (90), Mohshin Patel (30) and Hasib Patel (53) got them off to a great start with Paul Woodend (4-54) the pick of the bowling.

Brad Eckersley (38) and Ellis Mort (33) briefly threatened to mount a challenge but the rest of the batting fell away as Atherton slipped to 124 all out.

George Leather, with 5-44, and Cook (3-24) did the bulk of the damage with the ball for Tonge.

The final game of the day saw Little Lever pip Golborne by two wickets in another exciting finish at Victory Road. Golborne recovered from 97-5 through the efforts of Craig Ward, who made 42, George Corfield (23) and earlier Ben Lyon (24) to reach 169 all out with Don Heyes taking 4-43 and Adam Clark 3-54.

Lever got a decent start from Bob Waller (36), Tuseef Ahmed (30) and Clark, with 22, before Rory Hulmes saw them home with an unbeaten 25.