It's very much nip and tuck at the top of the table with Swalwell just ahead of Leadgate.

The Derwenthaugh side though had just 20 runs to spare against Lanchester but when they bowled out their opponents they claimed 20 points.

Mark Cosgrove has made an impression since joining Swalwell and top-scored with 47 which, together with 32 from David Scott, enabled the home side to post 168-8 despite the efforts of Farukh Iqbal and Ken Dixon Jnr who shared seven wickets.

Stephen Robinson opened Lanchester's reply scoring 36 and Tony Halliday added 30 but Mark Rowell (4-30) and John Collingwood with 3-35 just had the edge.

Leadgate gained 18 points from their victory over champions Tynedale and stay second.

Neil Clark (79) and Richard Darling with 55 were the principal scorers in what appeared to be a defendable total of 229-7. But Masood Mirza (79), and Paul Hockaday and Alan Reeve, who both ended with 39 not out, steered Leadgate home by two wickets.

Ashington remain third and they too were involved in a high-scoring game which they won batting second.

Nikitta Miller (48), Andrew Donnelly (65) and the former Durham County player Martin Speight with 51 led Annfield Plain to an impressive 204-7.

Colliers' skipper David Rutherford (85) and Stephen Boyd (75) put together a big partnership for the fifth wicket after the first four batsmen had scored just 18 runs between them.

Sacriston had nearly 100 runs to spare at Burnopfield. David Metcalfe made 74 of his team's total of 202 and replying, Burnopfield only just reached three figures as Ross McLaren and Martin Hubber both took four wickets at little cost.

Runs were scarce at the Spa where Shotley Bridge overtook the Benwell and Walbottle total of 94 with three wickets remaining.

David Jackson conceded just eight runs taking four wickets and when all seemed lost as wickets tumbled, Donald Brown came to the rescue of the Bridge with an undefeated 51. Graeme Angus almost pulled the game out of the fire for the visitors taking five wickets for just 19 runs.

The Tyneside derby ended in favour of Newcastle City by a margin of 32 runs. Kumar and Singh both passed 60 in City's total of 223-6 and replying Ponteland went close at 191-8 with Taylor making the game's top score of 79.

Lintz maintained their 100 per cent record in Division A2 defeating Greenside by four wickets when Graeme Clennell took 7-36 reducing the visitors to 81.

Whickham's new professional Jonathan Augustus again impressed scoring 87 and claiming three wickets in his team's win over Consett.