Keighley'S chances of promotion to the Bradford League's top slight slipped with a defiant late stand from Hartshead Moor.

The Lawkholme side needed to bring home a bag full of points to keep in contact for the third promotion spot and things started brightly.

Hartshead opener S Horkin was bowled in the first over by Steve Reape without a run on the board.

However the home side then threw down the anchor with Baker (66) and Rehman (63) taking the took into three figures before the Keighley bowlers struck again.

Even then all was not lost and the Hartshead middle order collapsed in front of a superb display by Reape who took four for 37 and Towler, three for 85. Meanwhile Gulsheraz had been keeping things tight, bowling his 11 over spell for just 32 runs, but was not rewarded with a wicket.

Late order men, Walker (34) and Measey (14), stuck together to take the total past 200 and left the young Keighley side facing a target of 215-8.

Openers Steve Reape and Steve Mitchell forged a solid opening partnership, taking the total on to 52 before Reape was dismissed by a slick caught and bowled chance. Although Tim Arnold and Lee Gordon could not follow the lead of the opening pair, the lower order men showed Keighley's strength in depth.

Gulsheraz (24), Broadley (20), Wood (12no) and Robinson (23) kept the score ticking over until it was clear they could not overhaul Hartshead's total and settled for a draw.

n Keighley 2nds lost the toss and were put into bat by Hartshead Moor. Keighley were soon in trouble at 41 for 5 and Nasser Kamal made 31 of them before he was out. He was the main contributory to the innings as no one else managed to get anything substantial. The tail crawled to 78 before they were finally out and Keighley only used 27 overs of their allocation of 50. Greenwood and Barlow both claimed 4 wickets in dismissing Keighley.

In reply Keighley caused few problems for the batters and never found the early breakthrough so had little chance of winning. Hartshead Moor romped home by 10 wickets inside 21 overs. Wright finished on 47 not out as the greater experience and skill of the visitors came through.

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