A FINAL over defeat cost Stocksfield four places as they relinquished their position at the top of the tree.

Losing by six wickets to Newcastle City saw them slip to fifth spot, but it is still all to play for as it is becoming increasingly tight at the top.

The rain significantly hindered Stocksfield as the game was reduced to 32 overs during their innings, the weather throwing them off their game plan.

Flying high at 100-2 off 23 overs, they went chasing runs after the rain delay but it disrupted their rhythm and they ended on 163-7.

Stocksfield captain Dan Whiley won the toss and elected to bat, and, after losing Steven Henderson (6) early on to a catch by Padmalaya off Stubbs (2-41), the returning Alex Brown (73) and Ben Archer (20) took it to the visiting bowlers.

They got their side to 100 with Brown in particularly fine form, and Archer fell to a ball from Stubbs just before the rain came down.

With only nine overs to play due to the new limit placed on the innings, Stocksfield turned to smash and grab tactics to try and post a challenging total.

Sam Mannion chipped in with two fours for 12, Matt Bewick made six, Andrew Wood went for a duck, and Whiley made 10.

Alex Brown‘s stay at the crease was finally ended when he was run out for a fantastic 73, his total including 11 fours and a six.

In came brother Emerson (4no) to partner Rob Thirlwell (8no) with Stocksfield feeling confident their 163 would pose problems for Newcastle.

Their confidence was boosted almost immediately with Emerson Brown (1-25) accounting for opener Mohsin Shafiq (3).

Brown, James Doneathy (0-32), Wood (1-29), Ben Hutton (1-32) and Thirlwell (1-24) all kept it tight, but they struggled to get wickets as Newcastle edged closer to the score.

Raviteja (62) was their main man with nine boundaries, and he and Majid Ansari (25) made a solid second wicket stand until the latter was caught behind by Whiley off Thirlwell.

Sohali (48) and Raviteja then stuck to their task and put Newcastle back on top.

Raviteja was bowled by Wood and Sohali caught by Alex Brown off Hutton, but the writing was on the wall with City needing just five from the remaining three overs. And Padmalaya (12no) and Mohammed (3no) ended it with the first ball from the final over.

Stocksfield have a chance to put things right and move back into the top three when they travel to second placed Cowgate on Saturday.

Tom Hutton hit nine fours and a six on his way to 74 for Stocksfield III, but it was not enough as they lost by seven wickets to Percy Main II.

Stocksfield posted a decent looking 186-8 as they opened, teenager Matthew Scandle weighing in with 35 from 37 deliveries and Colin Walker making 32.

But Main had century making Warwick to thank for guiding them to success, Hutton (1-46) and Chris Catnach (1-22) with wickets for the away side, Christopher Scandle and Graeme Tolchard taking the respective catches.