IT is getting tight at the top of the Ashton and Oldham Cricket Alliance as leaders Newtonhurst lost to third-placed Europa Exiles and second side Friends secured a maximum-points victory.

At Newtonhurst, visiting Europa Exiles batted first and were dismissed for 98, Hodgson top-scoring with 20 with Butterworth taking 3-17 for Newtonhurst.

In reply, the home side was dimissed for 80, with Clarke (6-20) and Towle (3-26) doing the damage for Europa despite Courtney’s innings of 23.

The maximum haul of six points saw Europa move into third place in the table.

Friends also took six points at Radclyffe, moving them joint top of the table, as they made 278 when batting first before dismissing their hosts for 228.

St Mary’s HC batted first against Greengate and made 102, Butterworth hitting an unbeaten 21 as Jackson (5-29) and Simpson (3-18) were the visitors’ main wicket takers.

Phelan then struck an unbeaten 38 to help guide his team to maximum points by replying with 103-3, Shereton returning figures of 2-30 for St Mary’s.

On Sunday, Foresters had a good win at Heyside where they compiled 199-9 thanks to the efforts of Melia (77), Steele (35) and Wallbank (31) as Scoltock took 5-34 and Robinson 3-40 for the hosts.

Heyside were then dismissed for 122, Bailey with 3-25 and Melia 2-19 despite Topping’s 37 and Nuttall’s unbeaten 31.

At St Mary’s, visitors Radclyffe were dismissed for 114, Omerod with 4-18 and Lomas 4-37, White top-scoring with 35 for the away side.

That target proved 10 runs too many for the Saints as they were all out for 104, Chambers (5-28) and Wright (2-28) bowling well in the face of a good partnership between Jolley (32) and Omerod (31) for the hosts.