A BATTLING display by Stockton threw a spanner into the South Northumberland championship works as the Teessiders held their nerve to keep a late charge from the Bulls at bay.

A perfect start, led by Rammi Singh who hit 93 from 104 balls and shared an opening partnership of 110 with Tom Hewison (41), promised great things but a mid-innings stumble, when three wickets fell in quick succession, meant that a late half century from Chris Hooker was vital in lifting Stockton to a 63-over total of 257-6.

The Teessiders then grabbed the upper hand with three early strikes before Phil Mustard (52), a more than useful stand-in for Marcus North, got the Bulls back on track, and they looked like timing their pursuit of the target to perfection as Adam Cragg (52) and Stephen Humble (62 from 49 balls) put on 74 in a sixth wicket stand. But Richard Waite (3-54 in 20 overs) claimed both their scalps in a crucial spell and the run chase ended with South North on 252-7, still six runs shy of victory.

The 15 points they took from the stalemate was one less than leaders Chester-le-Street (310-5) claimed from their home draw with the Durham Academy (210-8), the youngsters proving their stubbornness once more in their eighth draw of the summer, and with the top two unable to force wins Newcastle shoved their noses into the title race as they hammered hapless Benwell Hill by 216 runs.

A century from Graham Clark, who hit 106 from 115 balls, was the feature of the Tynesiders’ 58-over declared total of 276-7, and they then blew away neighbours Hill who lost their last nine wickets for 33 runs as they slumped from 27-1 to 60 all out. Callum Harding (5-14) and Charles Stobo (3-14) were the derby destroyers who lifted Newcastle to third, 38 points behind the Cestrians.

At the opposite end of the table it had been predicted that Gateshead Fell would never have a better chance of claiming their first win against injury riddled Blaydon, and they at long last delivered the goods with a 95-run victory at Denefield.

Rob Stacey (68 not out) and Barry McCarthy (51) combined in a 88-run partnership that sent Fell on their way to a 60-over declaration on 219-6, and Blaydon just never got going after losing a wicket in the first over of their reply. Sam Roseby (5-24) claimed the first five wickets to fall in a brilliant opening burst, and then Jamie Arkle (3-14) provided the final touches as the fragile home team slid to their fifth defeat in the last six matches.

The Fell win set the alarm bells ringing at Hetton where the Lyons were licking their wounds after a three wicket defeat by Whitburn left them just 28 points above the relegation slot currently occupied by the Gateshead outfit.

There was another change of leadership in the First Division where Eppleton, now the only remaining unbeaten side, edged past hosts Burnmoor with three wickets to spare in the final over of the day, the free scoring Kyle Davis (72) once again their batting lynch pin. Victory saw them leapfrog Washington, who lost for the first time at Boldon where the newly arrived Mosharraf Hossain (4-40 and 57 not out) made an immediate impression in his home debut.

Willington extended their recent positive form with a 160-run demolition job on South Hetton which left the defeated home team stranded at the foot of the table. Anand Singh was the Willington hero, blasting 23 fours and 4 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 168.