PICKERING continued to press their promotion ambitions in Hunters York & District Senior League division one with a comfortable eight-wicket win over visitors Goole Town.

Ollie Ounsley made 35 and Neil Foster 27 but Goole’s 122 was inadequate after good bowling by Mark Shepherd (3-20) and Dave Greenlay (3-33).

Pickering won with ease as Tom Sigsworth hit 69 and Chris Nicholls 34. It meant the Pikes rose to second in the table and closed in on leaders Heworth after they lost their undefeated record when soundly beaten by seven wickets at home by Acomb.

The result was courtesy of Acomb’s Dale brothers as Matt made 73 and Joe an undefeated 53 in a winning 148-3.

At the other end of the table, relegation is beginning to look a distinct possibility for Malton & Old Malton after their latest loss, a 36-run defeat at the hands of Driffield Town.

Driffield made 156-8 as Richard Grice hit 27, Grant Halder 31 and Alec Drury 33 not out. Stu Whatmore had 3-36 for Malton and then saw team-mate Chris Hudson make 28 but Halder took 4-31 and Drury 4-32 as they were dismissed for 120.

Relegation rivals Selby took no points from their home game against Whitkirk and are seriously adrift at the foot of the division, but Folkton & Flixton failed to do Malton a favour in their battle to beat the drop as they could only manage a losing draw against 10th-placed Bolton Percy.

Bolton’s 207-8 included 43 by Joe White, 33 from Tom Atkinson, and 25 apiece for Tom Malloch and Dan White, as James Nesfield took 3-34.

In response Neil Elvidge made 47 and Rich Malthouse 33, but Jacob Green’s 3-25 had Flixton flirting with defeat at 186-9.

Second-placed Duncombe Park lost ground on the division two north leaders when they only pocketed six points in a drawn derby game at Hovingham.

The home side rattled up an impressive 255-2 as Stuart Prest made 67 before Richard Bowling hit an unbeaten 71 and Paul Deverell 80 not out.

In reply, Brian Leckenby made 40, Peter Kent 54 and Jake Fox 35 not out, but Tom Lund took 3-47 and Stephen Mosey 4-46 to peg the Helmsley side to 190-9, hanging on for a draw.

Table-toppers Osbaldwick now lead the way by 73 points after rolling over Dringhouses by seven wickets.

Sheriff Hutton’s Geoff Schofield cracked an unbeaten 106 but was on the losing side as hosts York III won by one wicket in a nail-biter.

Tim Harrison hit 48 and Joel Wilford 59 in a Sheriff total of 264-4. York’s successful response was fronted by Dave Patmore, with 81, while Will Stephen made 54 and F Adams 69.