SHERIFF Hutton Bridge are the new leaders of the Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North.

Bridge's 44-run victory over Dunnington at Common Lane coupled with a surprise defeat for previous table toppers Woodhouse Grange puts them in pole position.

Yorkshire spinner Karl Carver (4-49) took the key wicket of George Drury, who looked the most likely to deny the visitors victory, scoring 79 of his side’s 180 all out.

That was in reply to Bridge’s 224-9 which included half-centuries from skipper Adam Fisher (50), overseas signing Dulash Udayanga (67) and Tommy Hudson (50), the latter pair sharing a stand of 77 for the fourth wicket. No other batsman got beyond 15 against Moin Ashraf (3-31) and Dave Brent (3-42).

Bridge will take a three-point lead into next week’s top-of-the-table clash at Moor Farm.

Grange’s nine-week run at the head of the table came to an abrupt end as they lost at home to Clifton Alliance. The hosts struggled to build partnerships once Christopher Bilton departed for 45, skipper James Finch making 36 in their 180-8. Young spinner Thomas Brown took 3-46 from 13 overs.

Tom Neal (2-24) then dismised both openers in the first eight overs and Finch (3-59) had them struggling at 65-5. But a partnership of 75 between Jake Atkinson (58) and Craig Nicoll helped them to a two-wicket win.

York skipper Duncan Snell struck 82 and took a hat-trick to help secure maximum points against bottom side Beverley Town.

The opener passed 50 for the 40th time in the competition and became the first batsman to score 4,000 runs in Yorkshire League North.

A second-wicket partnership of 98 with Australian James Billington (44) provided the majority of runs required to overhaul the visitors’ total of 168.

The target looked like being considerably less when Town were 53-7 following three wickets from Jack Charters (3-46) and a trio of lbws by Snell (3-20), but Olly Grantham (48) and Jamie Roe (45) added 84 for the eighth wicket.

Daniel Woods eventually dismissed both on his way to 3-35.

Kyle Waite (70) and Ryan McKendry (112) put on 131 for Stamford Bridge’s third wicket against Castleford at Savile Park.

McKendry’s second century in the competition, the latter half of which came off just 20 deliveries, helped the visitors reach 234-5.

Dominic Rhodes then took 3-52 and McKendry 2-30 but the home side battled to the close on 178-7.

Scarborough’s slide down the table continues after they lost at home to Yorkshire Academy by 42 runs.

Matthew Revis (51) scored a second half-century against the hosts, and his fifth of the season in a solid middle order batting performance from the visitors which also saw Tom Loten (49) narrowly miss out on a 50 and Harry Duke contribute 30 to a total of 219-7.

The league’s leading run scorer Ben Elvidge led the way with 62, but he finished on the losing side despite a stand of 111 with Oliver Stephenson (57).

Once the partnership was broken by Harry Harding (2-45) the visitors’ spinners took charge brothers Harry (3-21) and Josh (2-8) Sullivan sharing five wickets as 133-2 became 177 all out.

Harrogate eased their immediate relegation concerns, beating fellow strugglers Sessay by 47 runs at Oval View.

The visitors' top order put recent woes behind them as Alexis Twigg (44), Josh Atkinson (40) and Harry Stothard (43) combined to lay a platform of 164 runs for the opening three wickets, which led to a total of 233-6.

Sri Lankan Ishan Abeysekara (4-29) and Tom Geeson-Brown (4-51) picked up four wickets as, despite the contributions of Matthew Till (53) and Nick Harrison (43), the home side were bowled out for 186.