Saltburn are the new leaders but they have only a single-point advantage over Redcar. Three other clubs are within striking distance in what is developing into a close championship race.

The prediction was that Saltburn had a difficult match in prospect when they hosted Darlington but in the event they had time and runs to spare.

A big blow to the Feethams side was the early dismissal without scoring of John Glendenen and thereafter the innings further lost its way when Mark Stainsby (47) and Keith Barker (37) departed.

Left-arm spinner Pakistani Mauhtashim Rashid sent down 23 overs in the Saltburn attack, claiming five wickets for 51 runs and Adil Ditta returned 3-34 from 10.4 overs.

Ditta then set about steering Saltburn's course to victory. He struck nine boundaries in 66, taking his first 50 runs from only 61 deliveries. When he was caught victory was a formality and achieved through an unbroken fifth-wicket stand between Jim Lawson and John Bond.

Redcar's efforts to stay on top were thwarted by Stephen Ayre and bad light at Bishop Auckland who were nowhere in sight of victory when the game came to an end.

All seemed lost for Bishops after the departure of Stephen Chapman for 34 but Ayre stood firm and was still there at the end, unbeaten on 48 out of a total of 169 for eight. Mark Higgs almost swung the game Redcar's way, capturing four wickets for just 39 runs before bad light stopped play.

Batting first, Higgs (39) and Martin Hood (40) gave Redcar's innings a good start before Geoff Bowen (61) and Lumsden (48) took the total to an impressive 249-8.

Blackhall's winning sequence was maintained at the expense of Darlington RA whose 156-9 soon evaporated once John Darby opened the Collierymen's reply.

His half century, together with 31 by Mark Hopkinson and 33 not out from Ben Usher earned Blackhall another win and took them third.

Richmondshire are now bottom of the table after their eight-wickets defeat at Guisborough. Their useful total of 179-7 came mainly from professional Umer Rashid who was on 62 when run out.

Guisborough's reply was both swift and effective. Saul Clifford (37) and Graham Shaw, with a splendid unbeaten 84 set the scene and useful contributions from captain Richard Dunn and Phil Ramage completed a winning reply.

Hartlepool moved off the bottom and were relieved to win their first game at the 13th attempt. They did so with some style, too, overtaking Normanby Hall's 197 for the loss of just a couple of wickets.

The early departure of Gary Tebbett was erased by a second-wicket stand between Andy Holland, who struck seven boundaries in 37 and Graeme Wrightson who had six fours in an unbeaten half-century.

It was John Cannon, though, who dominated the innings striking two sixes and 12 fours in an innings of 83 not out from just 81 deliveries.

Batting first Normanby Hall conceded a couple of early wickets, both of them to John Fitzpatrick before Neil Coverdale, with six boundaries in 42 and Steve McNicholas (56) added stability to the innings which finally closed on 197.

Fitzpatrick's 15 overs earned him four wickets for 58 runs.

Northallerton produced a disappointing batting performance at Thornaby where they laboured through 44.2 overs making just 67. Colin Vaulks sent down 13.2 overs in claiming four wickets for 28 runs, Ian MacDonald had 3-15 from 16 overs and Geoff Love had 3-19.

The victory target was in sight when openers Michael Muldowney (30) and Jimmy Carter (35 not out) were parted.

Stewart Hutton was man-of-the-match in Marske's 26-runs victory over Middlesbrough. He batted throughout for an unbeaten 74 in a total of 200-8.

Richard Storr also made 74 at the start of Boro's reply and his opening partner James Beaumont added 30 but the pair received precious little help from their colleagues before the innings closed on 174 with Hutton completing a good day by taking three wickets for 33 runs.