Hopton Mills and Scholes put a little distance between themselves and the chasing pack in the Solly Sports Central Yorkshire League First Division promotion race with six-point wins over relegation-threatened Mirfield and Methley A respectively.

And if this contest looks like having a 'dog eat dog' finale, the latest side to be bitten in the nether regions were third-placed Liversedge, who collected just four points from their game at home to bottom club Ossett A, despite storming to an eight-wicket win.

Mills skittled Mirfield for just 69, Michael Carroll taking 5-19, on the way to their eight-wicket success, and Methley managed only 92 as Richard West took 4-2 off 4.4 overs to help Scholes to a seven-wicket win.

That win puts Scholes eight points ahead of Liversedge, and that leaves a lot of ground to make up in only five games.

But Scholes have an awkward clash at home to East Ardsley in their next game, Mills go to unpredictable Wakefield Thornes A, and Liversedge are at home to Mirfield.

Liversedge should see off their struggling visitors but the same could have been said for their game against Ossett.

Ossett amassed 203, with only seven down, as Nohman Hussain hit a match-best 94. In reply there were half-centuries from Mark Hydes (50), Alan Sumner (60) and Matt Gibson (50no) and an unbeaten 32 from Paul Marlow, but the failure to bowl out sides in seven winning draws could ultimately prove their downfall.

Buttershaw St Paul's look like ending the season with a whimper after being well beaten at home by Wakefield St Michaels and slipping into eighth place. They now go to an Oulton side still harbouring promotion ambitions.

As so often happens, the Premier Division is functioning as almost two separate 'regional' leagues as Townville, Methley, Wakefield Thornes, Carlton and Wrenthorpe occupy the top five places and Birstall follow on 14 points behind in a mid-table group that includes Mirfield Parish, Batley, and Ossett. Altofts and Northowram look like taking the drop.

Birstall, who lost by only eight runs at Thornes as Eric Austin was left stranded on 99no, have an outside chance of breaking into the top five but will definitely need to take maximum points from Ossett in their next game, while Parish will be hoping to bounce back from the five-wicket defeat at home to Batley and spring a surprise on Methley. Batley are at home to Northowram.

In Divisions Three and Four, Westwood Park are still challenging for a championship double.

Their first team, who hold a seven-point lead in Division Three, entertain Oulton A next, while their second team, who hold a six-point lead over Thornhill A, despite losing their last game, go to East Leeds A.