Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division: Guisborough may have been just a little fearful of Blackhall on Saturday.

Their fears though proved to be unfounded. More than once this season the Colliers have produced big scores. They have batsmen of real quality, but they met their match in David Towse and Paul Goodchild, who gave little away at Fountains Garth. They don't bowl any more economically than Towse, who during his time with Guisborough has conceded on average of only two runs an over.

He did better than this on Saturday, leaking just 43 runs in 23 overs, and taking three wickets into the bargain. When Paul Goodchild gave admirable support returning 4-55 from 20 overs, Blackhall were restricted to only 116-9, which included 41 by Imran Jan with one six and five boundaries.

Graham Shaw then produced a match-winning innings and Guisborough quickly secured 20 crucial points as he recorded one six and 13 fours in an unbeaten 86 made out of a total of 118-1.

Redcar are still second despite being held to a draw by Middlesbrough at Acklam Park, where runs flowed.

When they made first use of the wicket, the Seasiders were in early trouble. Their first four batsmen contributed only 25 runs between them but Boro failed to press home their advantage.

Neil Russell and Graham Bowen retrieved the position with a productive partnership for the fifth wicket. Russell made 68 before being run out and Bowen 77, with one six and nine fours. He found an able partner for a sixth-wicket stand in Andy Hassack, who ended unbeaten on 41.

The total of 223-5 compiled from 50 overs certainly looked defendable, but whether Redcar could bowl out Middlesbrough was another matter. That they failed to do so it was down to contributions from Mark Croft (37) and Martin Ball, who struck no fewer than three sixes and seven boundaries in 66 compiled from just 55 deliveries.

At stumps, Boro were comfortable on 200-7 from their 50 overs. Dulip Samaraweera produced the best figures in a game when 12 bowlers were used, ending with five wickets for 41 runs in 16 overs.

Saltburn had a hefty 84 runs to spare at Hartlepool and are now third, just four points adrift of Redcar. Despite Ashley Day taking 5-87 and Steve Chapman 3-34, Saltburn still posted 191 all out, which included 55 by Ditta.

Chapman was the only Hartlepool batsman to get to grips with the task and surprisingly, he made 62 of his team's total of 107. The only other players to make double figures were David Shurmer and John Cannon and five failed to get off the mark.

Mauhtashim Rashid was again among the wickets with 5-49 and his brother Umar took 3-28 assisting Redcar to an important result in their bid to overtake Guisborough, who have a 12-point advantage. Darlington celebrated a much-needed victory over Marske at Feethams.

Neil Coverdale (49) received little support as Marske stumbled to 108 all out and only Ryan Lazenby made it into double figures before the innings closed.

David Johnson with 4-26 and Neil Pratt, whose three wickets cost just 16 runs, were the bowlers who caused Marske their problems.

Runs were more plentiful for Darlington. Pratt opened with 82 and Danny Page was on 38 before being run out. By then, the foundations had been laid for a match-winning total of 193-7.

Thornaby are second bottom after losing by three wickets to Richmondshire. Their modest total of 110 appeared vulnerable, but they made Richmond fight all the way and in a game where runs were scarce, Richmond were indebted to Andy Mollitt for his top-scoring 27.

When they batted first, opener Ian Still contributed 48 but even so Thornaby struggled against Shanoka Dissanayake, whose lengthy 23.5 overs cost just 37 runs for four wickets. Ben Biker gave support with 3-45 from the 14 overs he delivered.

Bishop Auckland's winning sequence came to an end against Darlington RA at Kingsway. Darren Blenkiron struck 103 and Richard Hawthorne added 80 to the formidable Bishops total of 245-6. Three of the wickets were claimed by Maroof Khan for 88 runs.

Darren Hickey raised the hopes of RA, making 72, but there was little early support and eventually it needed an unbeaten 26 by Gerard Hull as RA stuttered to 142-5 at stumps.

Normanby Hall are still bottom but they will take heart from their 58-runs win over Northallerton and particularly the form of Mohamed Zahid. Steve McNicholas took the wicket of the first home batsman, but thereafter, Zahid claimed all nine at a cost of just 34 runs.

Northallerton crashed to 99 all out after the Hall had raised 157-8. Four players made in excess of 20 but the biggest contribution to the total was extras on 31.