PERHAPS the annual coach trip and night out seduced Settle into thinking that a trip to Baxenden would yield another easy seven points on their way to the Veka Ribblesdale League's Senior Division title.

Whatever the cause, the Marshfield men under-performed at Back Lane and in doing so surrendered their place at the top of the table to rivals Read.

Baxenden opener Jonathan Harvey still has the capacity to win a match single handed and he gave the Baxenden innings the backbone it needed when the home side batted first.

He carried his bat for and unbeaten 110 and with No 5 David Hothersall (58no) lending sturdy support, a 209-3 total was always going to be a stiff test for the visitors.

Even so, Settle could have been expected to make a better fist of it, as seemed likely when they reached 39 before losing the first wicket.

Once the Baxenden breakthrough came, however, Settle were unable to repair the damage and wickets fell at regular intervals.

At 115-9, an embarrassing seven-point reverse seemed likely, but as if to embarrass their team-mates, the last wicket pair of John Hughes (16no) and David Worthington (26no) stood firm to deny the opposition maximum rewards as they closed at 156-9.

There was no such consolation for Barnoldswick, who suffered a serious clattering at home to Read when they were bowled out for 64.

Such a tally was never a test for the champions and though they lost opener Peter Sleep for 30, their nine-wicket win came up in just 11 overs.

Earby's game against Blackburn Northern at The Applegarth was a casualty of the recent heavy rain.