STOCKSFIELD slipped to fourth in the table as they picked up just three points from their disappointing home defeat to Seaton Burn.

In a game which started late and was reduced to 46 overs, they weren't able to capitalise on second placed Tillside's defeat as they were overtaken by their fellow promotion chasers.

As expected, due to the wet conditions, the wicket was a tricky one and Jonny Tobin departed early as Stocksfield were put into bat first.

Dan Whiley and Ben Archer stuck around to take the score to 20 after 11 overs, but the former was stumped by Craig Redpath. Sam Beedle soon followed Whiley back to the pavilion.

The innings continued to limp on with Stocksfield only at 45-3 at drinks, but Archer and Chris Patterson moved the scoring on after the break.

However, Redpath's stumping of Archer at 61-4 resulted in a fall of wickets with Matt Bewick and Ryan Chamberlain going with the score on 63-6.

Patterson continued to dig in and made his way to 30 as he and Andy Wood put on 24 for the seventh wicket, but the former was bowled by the in-form Jamie Wright.

From 87-7, Stocksfield finished all out on 98 with Wood chipping in with the bulk of the 11 runs before bowled either side of James Doneathy and Chris Scandle's departures.

Stocksfield were given hope they could reproduce the magnificent bowling performance which transformed their fortunes the week before, Scandle trapping Rashid Ali with the first ball of the second over.

However, Mo Ali and Richie Kyle peppered the boundary to take the score to 32-1 and put Seaton Burn on the path to victory.

Kyle was removed in fine fashion when Whiley took a great running catch soon after Chamberlain replaced Doneathy in the line-up.

Wood was also introduced to good effect as he again struck in his first over, Ryan Kay stumped by Beedle with the score at 38-3.

In his next over, Wood had Mo Ali leg before to take the score to 39-4 and put Stocksfield back in with a chance.

But some excellent batting from Chris Weldon and Cliff Lyall during a productive fifth wicket stand took the game away from Stocksfield, Lyall hitting six fours and Weldon two for 20 points which lifted Seaton Burn narrowly above their hosts in third place.