The fog that rolled in over the Brotton coastline and caused the postponement of the Hunley Hall-Cleveland match has served to extend the uncertainty of promotion and relegation from the second division of the inter club league until the last match of the season.

However, two other second division matches were played, the results of which moved two teams to the front of the promotion seeking pack while condemning at least one of the opposition teams to third division golf next season.

Saltburn played their last match of the season at home to Barnard Castle knowing that a big win was necessary for their promotion chances, together with the need for the other promotion hopefuls to slip up on their run in.

The win was forthcoming, but perhaps not quite big enough to move the seasiders up into the first division. Noel Emmerson is Saltburn's top points scorer over the season and once again playing in the number one in the scratch section came in with a win, his eighth of the season. It was followed in similar fashion by three of his teammates and with Tony Henderson halving his game with Paul Raine.

The handicap sections of the two teams were a closer match, but the honours went again to Saltburn, just. The points ended 7-5, to Saltburn, thanks to wins from Colin Gray, Bill Griffiths, and Richard Dunn and another halved game, this time between Martin Barrett and Richard Lawson with Roly Hindmarch and Mitch Donnelly providing Barnard Castle's wins. The 16-8 match score moves Saltburn into top spot, but the other teams still have fixtures to play and the division is so close that, dependent on results, Saltburn's final position could be vary from division al champions to as low as mid table. Barnard Castle remain second bottom, nine points behind Richmond, the team they must overtake to stand any chance of remaining in the second division.

The other second division match to be played was between Middlesbrough and Richmond at Middlesbrough with the home side picking up sufficient points to make them probably favourites for a promotion place. Unfortunately for Middlesbrough, Mike Williams has only been able to play eight times in the league during the season as his record is eight straight wins, this week being number eight. Mike's win together with two other wins from Stuart Tilley, playing his first inter club game of the season, and Danny Holmes together with two halved games helped the home side to an 8-4 scratch points score. Middlesbrough's handicap section players proved even stronger with four wins for Richmond's single with one game halved for 9-3 total. Middlesbrough's 17 points moves the Brasscastle team into second place behind Saltburn, only six points adrift, and knowing that providing the score more than six points in their last match and not fewer than six pints less than Billingham they will gain promotion, Richmond's 7 points kept them our of a relegation place and they will go into their final match protecting their nine point advantage over Barnard Castle.

With the championship settled and the champions, Bishop Auckland without a fixture, it was left to the other teams to fight for the minor places or to avoid relegation. Last year's champions, Eaglescliffe played their last match of the season at home to bottom club Hartlepool and staked their claim to the runners-up spot with the league's biggest win of the night. Newly crowned club champion, Ryan Riley led the "Eagles" with a win that was echoed by four of his scratch playing colleagues, only Rod O'Donovan winning for the visitors. It was a scoreline that was duplicated by Eaglescliffe's handicap players with Hartelepool's solitary success coming from J Innes. The 20-4 win moved Eaglescliffe to 15 points clear of Castle Eden and Seaton Carew, both of whom have one match left, and anchored Hartlepool firmly on the bottom of the division, 23 points adrift of safety.

Before the night Castle Eden must have glanced once or twice over their shoulders at the teams in the relegation places, but a win almost as convincing as Eaglescliffe's has all but ensured their safety. Castle Eden's win was at home and at the expense of Darlington, who themselves are not completely safe from relegation. Although John Kirkpatrick playing number one for Darlington started the car with a win, it was the away side's only success in the scratch section, although Mark Pattison did manage a further point in his halved game with David Olaman. Darlington had even less success in the handicap section, with a solitary win in the last game on the card by D Coates to take the final score to 19-5 in Castle Eden's favour. Seventeen points in their last match will give Castle Eden second place in the division, while they do need eight points to ensure survival. Darlington go into their last match knowing that a win of any kind will ensure their first division status and also stop Bishop Auckland from going through the season unbeaten.

The other match to be played saw Seaton Carew visit Teesside in what proved to be a close match with two contrasting playing sections. Hugh Hamilton started Seaton with a win and although Mark Waine and Chris Crellin replied for the home side, Seaton's scratch players recorded three further wins to take the scratch points 8-4. An away win looked on the cards as SEaton gained a further three points through a win from Jonathan Neill and a single point from Ian Rowe in his halved game with John Seaman, but they were the only points gained by the vistor's handicap players as the home side turned a scratch section eight - four deficit into a 13-11 match win. Playing Castle Eden in their last match and like Castle Eden, Seaton can take second place if they win and score more than 16 points, but do need eight points to be mathematically safe from relegation. To stay in the first division, Teesside have to win away from home in their last match and hope the teams above them have a disastrous night.