AS WEEKENDS go it was one of the best for Shotley Bridge, a Friday night League Cup final victory over Swalwell followed a league win over Ponteland taking them to the top of the NTSL table with nine games remaining.

With the other title contenders struggling to beat the elements, Bridge squeezed out a six-wicket home victory over Ponteland in a game reduced to 32 overs per side.

Visiting skipper Wayne Ritzema batted through his team’s innings to end with 57 not out from 97 balls, and with Tom Seymour hitting three fours and four sixes in a rapid 43 Ponteland set a target of 138-4.

But this didn’t prove too much of an ask for the Bridge batters, Paul Greenwell hitting 12 boundaries in his 53-ball 62, and Dan Rees easing the hosts to their win with an unbeaten 38, victory arriving with more than four overs left.

The big game at Swalwell only managed 23 overs of play, Annfield Plain standing on 90-2 with Micky Allen making an unbeaten 52 from 58 balls, while the leaders at the start of the day, Tynedale, had even less time to play with at Burnopfield, and made it to 48-1 before the white flag was raised.

All this left the Bridge as the new table-toppers, seven points clear of Tynedale, while Ashington have now drawn level with Plain after victory at Ryton moved them to within 21 points of the league summit.

The Colliers dominated their struggling opponents, rattling up 211-4 in 33 overs.

Anirudh Singh gave them a great start with seven fours and a six in his 42, and then Jack Jessop (51 not out) and Ben O’Brien (eight fours and two sixes in 69) providing the perfect ending.

Ryton were then rumbled in just 19 overs, Matthew Storey (three for six in five overs) and Singh (3-7 in 4 overs) ensuring the advancing storm clouds couldn’t intervene.

The day’s other winners were Consett who bowled hosts Lanchester out for 147 in 32.3 overs, and then knocked off the target with the minimum of fuss.

Victory lifted them above their beaten opponents and into the top half of the table.