SWALWELL sealed Ashington’s relegation fate in the NTSL as they defeated them by 85 runs, but the victory was not enough to take the reigning champions back to the top of the table as Sacriston remained firmly on the title trail with a six-wicket win over Morpeth.

The Colliers faced a testing trio of final fixtures against the top three sides in the league to save their status, and it was inevitable that they would find the task too demanding.

And so it proved as Swalwell kept alive their own hopes of making it five championships in a row. An unbeaten 51 from Ian Pattison formed the bedrock of Swalwell’s score of 170, though Callum Storey enjoyed success for Ashington with a five-wicket haul that ensured the visitors didn’t get out of sight.

But it was to be Nicky Phillips’ day as the former Durham man followed up a breezy 35, which included 30 in boundaries, with a brilliant spell of 13.3 overs in which he claimed 7-21, the Colliers collapsing to 85 all out.

Sacriston faced a tricky home encounter with mid-table Morpeth, but after one or two scares they emerged triumphant to remain eight points ahead of Swalwell with just one more match to play.

Aussie Kendal Ballard (3-26) and Ryan Moralee (3-30) headed a potent attack which put Morpeth through nearly 38 overs of struggle before they were all out for 112.

Gary Christie (3-40) then gave Sacriston some jitters as he reduced them to 47-4, but the experienced Harry Hubber (33no) joined with youngster Reece Carr (35no) to see the job through in an unbroken fifth- wicket partnership of 69.

Elsewhere, Graham Hubber (7-30) and Phil Brown (80 and 3-41) combined to ensure Shotley Bridge finish third with a 167-run victory over Chopwell, Adam Watts was another seven-wicket man but he couldn’t inspire his Percy Main team to victory over Burnopfield who won by 18 runs, and Paul Underwood hit a 97-ball century as Lanchester won at Tynedale by eight wickets.