TODAY’S Bank Holiday programme, with only three games remaining, will go some way to determining the final outcome.

At the bottom, Bishop Auckland and Marske both lost, but the Seasiders gained four points more from their defeat at Stokesley, while Bishops were mauled at Hartlepool, who can themselves breathe easy.

Richmondshire’s second team continue to lead Division One and are likely to finish in the top two, meaning only one team will be relegated this season.

Bishop Auckland are rooted to the bottom. Hartlepool’s Doug Mulholland showed his class, taking a brilliant 6-15 and his opening bowling partner Mark Davies, claimed 4-14, as the visitors made just 32 runs from 15.2 overs.

Bishops even had a sniff of success, as Pools were reduced to 12-3, but John Watson with 27 not out, from 72 balls, carefully saw his team home to victory in a score of 34-4, as they claimed a valuable 20 points.

Middlesbrough have been dragged into a relegation fight, beaten by leaders Barnard Castle in a game which could have gone either way.

Boro were in trouble at 73-5, but opener James Middleton scored 68 and Jake Whittle 50 from 56 balls, and they totalled 169 all out, with Richard Watson claiming 3-17.

Boro’s Jamie Burke struck with the new ball, taking 3-31, to have the visitors struggling on 27-3, and then Leigh Beaumont’s 3-56 pinned Barney to 102-8.

However, skipper James Quinn scored a match-winning 79 not out, from 129 balls, to keep his side top and increase their lead to 13 points. They made 170-8).

Thornaby have the same points as Hartlepool and are a point above Boro after a draw at Darlington.

The home side made 203-6, with Lee Hutton top scoring with 65 not out and then Callum Lethbridge made 40, while Tharindu Rathnayake took 3-39 with the ball.

Thornaby made 173-8, as Jeremy Boyle scored 48 and Tharindu Rathnayake made 69 not out to save the match, despite Liam Cotes taking 3-24.

Marton are all but safe, but Marske will be targeting their game today as a must-win match. They only made 101 all out at home to Seaton Carew, as Danny Thomas with 3-32 and Paul Braithwaite returned 3-21, to put the visitors on top.

However, the home bowling came good, as Matthew Connolly (3-22) took early wickets to reduce Seaton to 19-4. Muhammed Zahid took 5-14 off five overs, to give them 25 precious points, as Seaton crumbled to 71 all out.

At the top, Richmondshire are 13 points behind Barney in second place and they both meet up today at Vere Road, for a likely title showdown.

The Dalesmen beat champions Great Ayton after scoring 226-4, with opener Steven Mather scoring 71, Robert Carr 31, Matthew McKiernan 45 and Matthew Cowling made 54 not out, from 43 balls.

Ayton totalled just 129, as Matthew McKiernan with 3-32 and Robert West 4-37 did the damage, with only Thomas Leng resisting with 35. The visitors slip to third and are 18 points behind the leaders.

Stokesley are 37 points behind top spot. They won again, collecting another 25 points in beating Marske, after scoring 141 all out. Jonny Weighell made a steady 50, as Lee Hodgson (3-30) and Benjamin Van Rensburg (4-38), ripped through the batting order.

The Seasiders lost early wickets, and Lee Hodgson gave them hope with 38, but Shrikant Wagh claimed 5-26 and Daniel Chillingworth returned 3-12 with the ball, which still keeps their slim chances of the title alive.