DARLINGTON’S hopes of wresting the championship trophy from the hands of Richmondshire were boosted when their lead at the top was extended for the second time in three games.

Although this time it was just two added points, their advantage rose to 29 as Stokesley slipped down from second to third place and the Dalesmen returned to sit as the Quakers’ closest rivals.

While Darlington were winning comfortably at Guisborough, and Richmond showed an even more ruthless streak in the defeat of Marske, Stokesley were having to be satisfied with a home drawagainst Seaton Carew which saw them take just 15 points from a possible 25.

Having batted well enough to reach 245-9, they might have wished they had declared with slightly fewer on the scoreboard to give themselves an extra two or three overs to bowl out the Seaton tailenders. As it was, the last two batsmen were able to see out the final over on 187-9 to thwart their hosts.

Stokesley, after winning the toss, didn’t start too well when they decided to bat.

Their first three wickets fell for 48 runs and it was left to young Tom Preece (69) and Will Brown (47 ) to steady the ship. Josh Linton (45 not out) then produced his highest score, despite a five-fer for Danny Evans (5-74 from 17). Seaton’s reply, in which Gareth Spence (25) was top scorer, reached 137 before the fifth wicket fell but they then lost three cheap wickets before Martin Skirving (20) and Evans staged a match-saving stand. It left David Storey and David Thomas to block out the last six balls. The Weighell brothers, James (3- 42) and Andrew (3-46), and Dieter Klein (3-66) shared the nine wickets to fall.

Darlington’s four-wicket win at Guisborough had plenty of contributors. Liam Coates (3-33), Matty Brown (3-36) and Jon Barnes (2-45) shared 42 of the 50 overs, in which the Priory side were restricted to 156-9. Roshen Silva, the hosts’ professional, hit 69 from 121 balls but the only real support came from skipper Phil Holdsworth (25).

Danny Morgans (37 from 42 balls) got the Quakers on the move before James Dobson cracked an unbeaten 45 from 69 balls. Only Silva (4-28) made Darlington work hard for what was their fourth successive victory.

Richmondshire’s Mike Layfield scored his second century of the season in his first innings since recovering from a broken bone in his hand. His delicately stroked an 118-ball 103, which included nine fours and three sixes, was out of 235-8 at Marske.

Sam Wood (34 from 24 balls) was second top scorer but not before Jonathan Pickard (2- 76) claimed his 300th wicket for the club he joined at the tender age of 13.

Pro, Nadera Nawela (4-58), took three wickets in one over. Craig Marshall (4-46) and Shani Dissanayake (4-34) skittled out the hosts for 119 for a 116-run victory. Marske haven’t won for 14 games.

The two clubs chasing the leading pack both had splendid wins, Great Ayton at Marton and Barnard Castle at home to Saltburn.

Marton, who haven’t won for nine games, were thrashed by nine wickets as Ayton knocked off 166 in 24.1 overs. Nick Hendrie hit a magnificent unbeaten 92 and shared an opening stand of 157 with Chris Batchelor (69).

Hendrie smashed 11 fours and five sixes and Batchelor 12 boundaries. The villagers, now in fourth place, had Joe Marsay (3-41), Lewis Harper (3-62) and Mike Croft (2-28) celebrating the momentous landmark of taking 100 wickets between them. Hendrie, with 920 runs, looks like winning the race to be first to reach 1,000.

Barnard Castle plunged second- bottom Saltburn further into the relegation quagmire when they won a low scoring match by 40 runs. Aussie Ben Turner (62) helped his side to 132 before Simon Tennant (4- 21) and Jack Robinson (3-10) skittled the Seasiders for 92.

Middlesbrough boosted morale — and their league position — when they defeated Redcar by 16 runs, with James Lowe (3-35) and Callum Buckley (3-21) sharing in a collapse which saw the Seasiders drop from 75-2 to 122 all out. Muhammud Saad’s dismissal with a direct hit on the stumps was a game changer, while earlier Mohammed Zahid (5-35) took his tally to 56 victims.

Just four runs separated Hartlepool and Sedgefield in a draw, with Craig Symington (68 and 4-67) and James Johnston (58) starring.