NEWBURGH and Sheriff Hutton Bridge both won to remain neck and neck at the top of the Pilmoor Evening Cricket League - while Thirsk recorded their first win of term to give themselves hope of escaping the drop.

Mark Mierzwinski showed his class in making 50 before being run out in the penultimate over of Newburgh's win over Acomb.

Support came from Josh Sargent (22) as Newburgh made 113-3.

Tommy Banks (3-20) then made inroads into Acomb's reply, and, Luke Ramsay (2-25) also troubling the batsmen, the visitors closed on 75-8 with only Dan Watkinson (35 not out) putting up significant resistance.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge enjoyed a five-wicket win over Clifton Alliance.

Alliance did well to post 129-4, Jamie Butt making 39 and Jake Atkinson 28 while Ben Harrison took 2-24 and Dan Clipston 2-31.

SHB won at 130-5 with Jack Hugill (49) paving the way before Robert Stevens (36no) took the home. Lewis Clarke took 3-31.

Dringhouses cracked 148-6 at Helperby, Sam Lingard (68) a key figure, getting support from Tom Storr (30). George Swiers claimed 2-23.

Lewis Rees-Hughes and Dan Marston each made 27 in the reply, but Storr completed a fine evening’s work by taking 3-24 and Andrew Simpson took 2-24 as Helperby closed short on 132-6.

Sessay made 109-5 at Thirsk, Stuart Peirse (31) and Paul Flintoff (28) leading the way as Chris Booth took 4-26.

Richard Kirby (28), John Goode (27) and Booth (27) all made runs in the reply as Thirsk reached 110-4, despite Ben Scaling's 3-15.

This result saw Thirsk move to within two points of Sessay and Helperby.

Huby moved two points clear of Raskelf at the top of division two after a big win over Stillington.

Huby ran up 178-1, Sean Dixon making 51 retired and Thomas Piercy 46. Stillington were never in the hunt and closed on 70-7, Dixon returning 2 - 16.

Raskelf slipped up at Easingwold. The home batsmen were in form and reached 176-6, Aubrey Towler making 46, Max Cosgrove 53 retired and Ronnie Alexander 33.

Easingwold’s attack then held too many aces as Raskelf closed well adrift on 87-9, with only Jake Petty (37) and Matthew Goddard (20) making headway against Sagar Gohill (2-17), Jamie Metcalfe (2-16), Cosgrove (2-14) and Josh Summerscales (2-18).

Sheriff Hutton won a low-scoring contest against Alne.

Sheriff made 82-9 with Tom Bews (28no) top-scoring and Matthew Prosser making a crucial 21. T Raper (3-26), R Raper (2-13) and Toby Stirke (2- 20) were the most successful bowlers. Chris Beaumont (30) led Alne's reply, but David Hull (3-8), Richard Ainley (2-22) and Prosser (2-8) saw them close adrift on 72-8.

The consistent Josh de Silva made 38 for Rowntrees & Huntington at Crayke, but James Pocklington took 2-14 and John Dey 2-20 to restrict them to 92-6.

Youngster Peter Thomas got the reply off to a sound start with 24, and a partnership between Ian Pears (28no) and Peter Carr (27no) took Crayke to an eight-wicket victory in the 16th over.