Forsters Northumberland and Tyneside Senior League DEFENDING champions Tynedale were the first to blink in the three-way race for the title. The Hexham club – bidding for a hat-trick of titles – went into the weekend top of the table, but lost by seven wickets against relegation-threatened Annfield Plain. Tynedale posted 193-7 but Rehan Rafique’s 90 not out and 70 from David Maughan saw Plain home. Tynedale’s title rivals Leadgate and Swalwell both won, which means Leadgate top the table by a single point from Swalwell while Tynedale are a further 13 points back in third place. There are two more matches remaining – and the top two face each other on Saturday in a game which will go a long way towards deciding who takes the silverware. Tynedale committee member Terry Darling said: “It was a bad weekend for us – our bubble has burst and we really need a miracle to win the league now. “We started badly against Annfield Plain with the bat and that set the tone, because we did not bowl well either. “We did well to get past 190 but at Hexham, on a good wicket, it is by no means certain you can defend that score. “Rafique batted well for Plain and they knocked those runs off. “We are relying on both the other teams slipping up at some stage in their last two games which is unlikely, but stranger things have happened and we will not give up.” Leadgate beat Morpeth by 81 runs, making it five successive wins for them. That result, coupled with Plain’s victory, left Morpeth in the relegation zone. Ian Pattison (pictured) top-scored with 143 not out as Swalwell declared on 300-4 against already-relegated Percy Main before David Rutherford took 4-48 and Marcus Peart 3-17 as Main were restricted to 136, giving the home side a 164-run victory. Ashington are fourth after a narrow two-run victory against sixth-placed Newcastle City. Mark Wood hit 52 as the Colliers made 197-7, and Stephen Boyd’s figures of 4-30 helped them see off City. Benwell and Walbottle gave their survival chances a massive boost with an 88-run win against fifth-placed Lintz. Anarud Singh’s excellent 164 not out helped Benwell to 252-8, and the professional also took 3-41 with the ball to end Lintz’s hopes of victory. Benwell are now fifth-bottom, 14 points clear of the relegation zone. Sacriston are fourth bottom, a point behind Benwell, after their 49-run win against Shotley Bridge. Bridge’s Phil Carlin took 5-36 to restrict Sacriston to 170 but that proved more than enough for the home side to clinch victory. The Division A2 season finished at the weekend, although Ryton and Backworth went into the final round of fixtures knowing they were promoted. Ryton had already made sure of finishing in top spot, but Lanchester stopped them signing off with a win as they ran out winners by 51 runs. Second-placed Backworth did win their last game, chasing down Ponteland’s 212 with seven wickets to spare. | 
