Durham Coast League: When top met bottom, it was Castle Eden who prevailed to maintain their slender lead but Houghton produced another encouraging performance.

Gary Robinson (43) and Craig Dowell with 33 ensured that the home side would face a reasonable target and when they claimed the wickets of both openers for a combined total of just 12 runs, the hopes of Houghton rose.

But the ever-reliable Allan Unsworth just about made certain that there would be no giant-killing act and, when he added 64, victory was within sight before he was dismissed.

Unsworth also starred with the ball, sharing six wickets with Tony Banks.

Murton are second, just a couple of points adrift of Castle Eden but they had a narrow escape at home to Peterlee. In a nail-biting finale, the last two batsmen Andy Upperton and Joe Dodd added 29 crucial runs.

Faced with a target of 152, Murton were in trouble before Calvin Stephenson (48) and Gary Stokoe (34) raised the stakes but in the end victory was down to Upperton and Dodd.

Nicky Beall, with a half-century and Keith Hewson (38) were mainly responsible for Peterlee making 151-7 in their allotted overs.

Silksworth inflicted a damaging defeat on Hylton and at the same time enhanced their own title aspirations.

Stephen Wright took five wickets for only 32 runs and Chris Pringle had 3-38 as Hylton for once struggled for runs, ending with only 98 on the board.

Problems mounted quickly for Hylton when Pringle claimed the prize wickets of Joe Bittlestone and captain David Hanson and from then on it was all downhill.

In contrast, Silksworth found the going reasonably easy when they batted first and exceeded 200. Graeme Weeks (43) and Phil Smailes (50) were the principal run-makers.

Seaham Park were forced to field a severely weakened side at Ryhope and it showed. The innings lasted only 23 overs for a meagre 68 and half the total was scored by Michael Donnelly as Paul Watson, with 6-24 from 11 overs and Graeme Smith (3-14) ripped through the batsmen.

Ryhope required just 13.4 overs to secure the points.

Smith, who struck six boundaries in 32 not out, and John Leslie (28) quickly added 45 runs for the second wicket.

Chris Price and Gary Braithwaite both made half-centuries in Dawdon's win over Bill Quay. Bobby Stephenson and Cavin McNicholas also played their parts after the visitors had posted 186 all out.

Jeff Tudor and David Orridge both passed the 30 mark but it was John Chamberlain, batting at number nine who added momentum to the innings when he made 45.

Jamie Greenwood claimed three wickets at little cost while Mark Ewart, Andrew Stephenson and Michael Watson also troubled the Bill Quay batsmen.

Boldon CA and Easington drew with the visitors in control at stumps.

Eight Boldon wickets had fallen, four of them to David Kennedy for just 14 runs after Easington had realised 153 including 32 from Paul Neasham and 30 by Kennedy. George Lincoln again struck form for Boldon, taking five wickets for only 39 runs.