IN the most dramatic of finishes, Stocksfield held off the challenge of Newton by the narrowest of margins.

The hosts restricted their opponents to 11 runs in the final over of the game, seeing them just one run short of Stocksfield's innings' total of 169.

It was a tense finish for both teams during what was an excellent game, Stocksfield captain Ali Thirlwell celebrating the close win as he bowled the last over.

Stocksfield suffered an early setback when they lost Jonny Tobin, but Chris Patterson was in great form as he and Matt Bewick put on 60 for the second wicket.

Bewick departed after a well made 28, Rob Thirlwell joining Patterson who made his 50 in the 25th over.

Thirlwell was caught on the boundary by Yogi Rawlley, with Patterson suffering a similar fate after a great knock of 69, consisting 11 fours.

Stocksfield were on 121-4, when he fell with a good innings from Graeme Tolchard pushing them on.

Newton's openers Kinghorn and Dinak Rawlley made their way to 29 before the latter hit a full toss onto his own stumps in the 11th over to give Rob Thirlwell his first wicket.

Zack Brown helped take the score past 50 before he was run out by Thirlwell, who then claimed the big wicket of Kinghorn when he caught him off his own bowling with the score on 78-3.

Chris Telfer and Jonathan Bennett upped the run rate as they steered Newton to 150 as the overs started to run out, before Patterson had Telfer run out and then Jones caught by Rob Thirlwell.

The game was on a knife edge with Newton needing 13 for the win from the final six balls, but Stocksfield stuck to their task and prevented them from reaching their goal - but only just.

Producing arguably their best batting display of the season, leaders Allendale dashed Humshaugh's hopes of a top two finish.

Maintaining their charge at the top in the process, a fantastic performance saw them post a total well out of reach of their visitors.

They had to see off some good early bowling from Will Forster and Jack Garrett, but once Tim Raglan and Rory Sale had their eye in they didn't look back.

Returning from the drinks break after 20 overs on 86-0, both went to Steve Thompson with Sale denied his half ton when caught by Owen Murtough and Raglan was lbw but not before he made his 50.

Ross Laidlaw came in and continued the high rate as he breezed past his half ton, with Jack Raglan offering good support and John Welch with a cameo at the end.

The total of 213 looked a high one for Humshaugh to chase, and opener Allan Murray adopted a more defensive approach instead of an attacking one as the scoring was slow.

Humshaugh had to contend with some good bowling from Allendale, the wickets shared around with Tim Raglan, Liam Pringle and Laidlaw claiming wickets.

But Sale stole the show as he finished with figures of 4-16, Humshaugh denying Allendale all 20 points as they stubbornly refused to be bowled out.

While inspired again by their New Zealanders Alex Tait and Will O'Brien, a great team performance from Matfen Hall in their victory over Haydon Bridge keeps them very much in the hunt.

Put into bat, the long-serving Ian Pilkington and Kiwi Will O'Brien put on 93 for the first wicket against good opening spells from Jamie Taylor and Liam Stephenson.

First change Tom Waugh claimed the wicket of O'Brien who had hit 60 off 59 balls, including three sixes and five fours, with Pilkington bowled by Gavin Boyd.

Leading runs scorer Alex Tait and Tom Scott kept up the good work as they added 101 in super quick time, Tait taking a well to find his stride but then going all out to bring up yet another half century.

Scott was playing nicely and his 37 helped Matfen beyond 200 for the fifth successive week.

In reply, Aaron Tiffin beat the bat a number of times and picked up the early wicket of Mick Cunningham.

O'Brien dismissed Ian Watson and first change Kelly Withycombe trapped Chris Welton lbw.

Bridge's challenge was put on track courtesy of a 52 run partnership between Waugh and Taylor, both hitting the ball cleanly until Scott caught a skyer from Waugh off his own bowling.

Aaron Tiffin returned to bowl in tandem with his 14-year-old sister Ellie and they took three wickets between them, with Pilkington then turning his arm over and picking up his first wicket of the season.

Haydon Bridge kept plugging away and Taylor impressed with 66 not out, but Withycombe's capture of Greg Liddle and Boyd saw them well short in the end.

At the opposite end of the table, Newcastle III won for the first time as they defeated a Haltwhistle side really struggling for form.

They've now lost the past four league games completed, slipping down to eighth in the table when many had them tipped as title contenders.

Dan Parker and father Michael opened the batting for Halty and they got off to a good start, Parker jnr passing 50 to put the team in a commanding position.

Phil Thompson and John Armstrong combined to help the score on after a little wobble, Tiger Roberts impressing with three wickets.

The arrival of Reitze caused problems for Haltwhistle's middle order, Armstrong, John Hepple and John Richardson all falling to his bowling as the home side managed to make it to 160.

Another defeat looked on the cards for Newcastle as they quickly slumped to 5-3, Mark Pearce bowled by Thompson, and Reitze and Laura Pearson both by Hepple.

Gregor Pearce, who became Hepple's fourth victim, and Roberts took the score to 28, with Sam Crampton helping the score tick on to 41 before Roberts fell for the fifth wicket.

Finlay Pearce didn't last long as he was caught and bowled by Armstrong, Newcastle again looking in trouble at 52-6.

However, the pairing together of Crampton and Craig Duffy produced 61 runs for the seventh wicket and they were in the hunt for the first time.

After hitting seven fours and a six to make his 50, Crampton was caught by Michael Parker off Richardson, but Duffy was in hard hitting mode as his half century, including five fours and two sixes, came from 45 balls to secure the points for Newcastle with the 10th last ball of the game.

Benwell Hill III staved off fears they may drop into the bottom two as they moved 23 points ahead of fellow strugglers Wylam with a 50 run victory.

With an accomplished batting display, Benwell passed the 200 mark as their top three of Jeff Mason, Saeem Korum and Luke Mussett all made their mark.

Both Korum and Mussett reached 50 to move the score on, with Assanka Jayaweera adding a useful 28 later in the order.

Benwell didn't have it all their own way, though, Kevin Marshall and Liam Thackray both claiming two wickets.

Wylam looked to Richard Opie in reply and he impressed with a half ton of his own. However, he couldn't really form a notable partnership as the rest of the order found scoring tricky.

Benwell's bowlers shared the wickets around, Mason, Haroon Malik and Korum all claiming two, with Andrew Jewitt going one better.

South Northumberland 1864 were in great form as they inflicted a heavy defeat on Hexham Leazes .

A great batting display, started by opener James Hutton, saw them get to an imposing total of 233.

Sam Wotherspoon and former Newcastle United goalkeeper Stephen Harper put on a formidable third wicket stand as they both passed 50, with Northumberland player Ami Campbell chipping in towards the end of the innings.

But for a good fifth wicket stand between Lucas Holmes and Billy Kingman, Leazes struggled for runs against some hostile bowling.

Hutton was the chief destroyer as he finished with six wickets, with Cameron Skinner throwing his weight about to end with three.