INGROW St John's hopes of retaining their Mewies Solicitors Craven League Division One title have suffered what could be a mortal blow.

They went down by one wicket at home to lowly Sutton, which means that Saints are six points behind Oakworth with four matches left.

Richard Walker took 7-48 as St John's could only make 136 off 36.3 overs, No 3 Imran Zaman hitting 46 .

However, that total was nearly enough as the visitors replied with 139-9 off 44.4 overs, young Sam Solley again demonstrating that his promotion from the second team was well merited with 50, Simon Doane helping the Royd Hill men over the line with 26 not out as Wasim Hussain (5-26) and Nadeem Zaman (3-31) were foiled.

Gareth Marshall (6-13) and Ben Howell (3-27) continued their good work with the ball for leaders Oakworth in their derby at Riddlesden, with the hosts batting a man short as they made only 95, Imran Zaman (36) and Amjid Hussain (25) contributing two-thirds of that as no-one else made double figures.

Hussain then kept Oakworth honest with 3-34 but the latter were seen to a six-wicket win by Joel Gallagher (43no).

Fellow Wynn Cup finalists Bingley Congs drew level with Ingrow St John's, chiefly thanks to 78 from former skipper Chris Dibb.

Only Andy Copping (26) and Tom Mackenzie (21) backed him up, however, in their 177-9, but visitors Haworth could only make 146 despite 55 from Congs old boy Andy Coatesworth, Harry Greenhalgh taking 4-30 and Neil Copping 3-37.

Crossflatts lost an entertaining clash by 13 runs at home to Embsay, Jim O'Hara (4-51), Joshua Kazar (59) and Alex Bradbury (38) doing best for flatts.

Sutton are now on 17 points, five more than joint bottom Foulridge and Chatburn with four matches left.

Denholme are looking increasingly likely to clinch a promotion berth from Division Two after their 67-run victory over Airedale, and they almost had another reason to celebrate as Luke Pickles took 9-36 in the visitors' 127, Tom Greenwood spoiling his bid for a ten-fer.

Opener Robert Taylor had earlier made 53, Greenwood 38 and Toby Priestley 34 in Denholme's 194, Saqib Javaid taking 4-44 and Lee Rickaby 3-40.

Cowling have climbed from fourth equal to third equal on the back of a 98-run win at Glusburn.

With leaders Oakworth Seconds unable to be promoted, it intensifies the battle for the second promotion spot behind Cowling and Glusburn (level on 33 points) and Thornton-in-Craven (30).

Skipper Martyn Dalby's 77 spearheaded Cowling's 249-7 after opener Mike Dudley made 57 and wicket-keeper Wasim Hussain 40, Mark Pickles taking 3-65 and Dominic Mortimer 3-68.

But Glusburn could not capitalise on the 41 from their keeper, opener Neil Freeman, and 40 from No 3 Ian Simons and were bowled out for 151, with Ajmal Choudhry taking 5-35.

Thornton-in-Craven's hopes were dimmed by a two-wicket defeat at Wilsden, who only got home with four balls to spare, Colin Bottomley and Stuart Mitchell both making 40 for the winners.

Ingrow's Mark Price played a captain's knock with 76 in their 191 at home to Long Lee, for whom Shahbaz Ahmed took 4-56.

Jake Hoyle then ripped the heart out of the Golden View club's reply with 6-45, Dan Scott chipping in with 3-40 as it reached 152, James Wilkinson scoring 48.

Bradley are now one place above relegation after a quickfire seven-wicket defeat at Oakworth Seconds, despite a 75-run opening stand between Matt Buckmaster (51) and Neil Andrews (44) in the visitors' 156, Oakworth reaching their target in the 26th over after Ben Fothergill made 54 not out and Nivard Trowers 44.

Second-placed Ingrow St John's benefited from a walkover from Haworth West End in Division Three, and Cononley maintained their outside hopes of promotion when Eldwick & Gilstead conceded but third-placed Skipton Church Institute suffered a body blow when their batting collapsed to 79 all out in a 96-run defeat at Sandy Lane, whose hero was opener Vishal Shaw (86).

Fourth-from-bottom Embsay suffered a nine-wicket defeat at Denholme, for whom Jack Barker (83no) was a man in a hurry, while Dave Critchlow (4-16 and 35no) was man of the match for Bradford & Bingley Thirds in a vital home win against third-from-bottom Riddlesden, who are now only four points and one place above them.

Bingley Congs survived two periods of danger at Haworth in Division Four, recovering from 30-5 to make 180-8 and then dismissing the hosts for 134 after they were 124-3.

Rik Andrews (65), Ben Nattrass (57) and Jamie Teale (4-12) were the key men for Congs, who jointly lead the table with Crossflatts, for whom teenager Charlie Hall took 5-15 in the nine-wicket victory at Airedale.

Oakworth Thirds were a team in a hurry at home to Glusburn, quick-fire efforts from Jordan Powell (75no off 35 balls including eight sixes and four fours), Joel Fothergill (57), Alan Fothergill (51) and Paul Carter (50) taking the hosts to 256-4.

Mark Johnston (15-3-31-2 and 39) was the main man for ten-man Glusburn, who were dismissed for 89, young Corey Green backing up his promise with 4-5 while the wily Michael Davison took 3-23.

Seven-man hosts Thornton-in-Craven were shot out for 58, with opener Paul Ellis carrying his bat for 30 as Paul Kirby took all six wickets to fall for 20, Wilsden then winning by eight wickets in 20.2 overs.

Sutton are the new leaders of Division Five. They overtook previous front-runners Cowling, defeating them by nine wickets at Keighley Road – but this was no smash-and-grab raid.

Although the hosts were dismissed for 100, Tony Walton taking 4-38 while the other wickets were shared between George Blackwell, Glynn Thornton and Carl Jopson, Sutton did not hare to the finishing line.

They took 41.1 overs to reply with 103-1, James Marshall making 46 not out and Stuart Tillotson 21 not out after Walton had been dismissed for 23.

Zahid Shafait was chiefly responsible for the sedate pace of the innings after tea, with figures of 15-7-27-1, while three of his team-mates also kept a tight rein on things.

Sutton now lead Cowling by a point, while fourth-placed Bradley also won, beating visitors Cononley by nine wickets in half the time.

Only Jim Owthwaite (31) and Paul Hogg (27) made double figures for the hosts as they were dismissed for 69, with Jack Andrews taking 6-34 and Andy Holmes 3-21.

Chris Kimberley (28no) and skipper Danny Smith (23no) helped to see Bradley home in 20.1 overs after opener Neil Lambert was run out for 12.

Irfan ul Haque set up Sandy Lane's nine-wicket victory at Sandylands, helping to confine ten-man Skipton Church Institute to 31, Sandy knocking off the runs in under nine overs.