NEW Brighton's hopes of taking the Liverpool Competition Premier League title suffered a severe set back as they crashed to defeat at the hands of close rivals Ormskirk in their latest outing.

The seasiders now trail the Lancashire side by 19 points with four matches remaining.

Brighton batted first at Ormskirk but they were back in the pavilion for a meagre 59 in just over thirty overs with only Josh Rylance 25 and David While 20 into double figures.

Dane Currency with 6-13 did the damage for the home side who cruised to victory by nine wickets in the seventeenth over.

Opener Greg Beaver with 84 and Neil Cross 56 helped Wallasey to a 255-6 declared total against visiting Fleetwood Hesketh who were then put out for 108. Lahiru Wellalege starred with a 5-25 return.

Chris Davies contributed 82 for Birkenhead Park but they lost by 27 runs at home to Lytham.

Caldy and Parkfield Liscard won but Birkenhead St Mary's lost in Division Two.

Caldy had nineteen runs to spare against Alder. Chris Edwards scored a half century and Rich Battersby finished with 5-35.

Parkfield Liscard came away 92 runs to the good from Sutton but St Mary's failed by 121 runs at home to Skelmersdale after being all out for 67.

Neston and Oxton boosted survival hopes in the Premier Division of the Cheshire County League with excellent victories.

Neston beat Nantwich by nine wickets with sound contributions from Jack Smith 67 not out, Dane Williams 59 and Ash Davis 5-34.

Oxton made it by three wickets at the expense of Urmston. Simon Stokes top scored with 30 and the bowlers to shine were Guyan Fernando 4-56 and Richard Fennah 4-34.

There was an agonising one wicket defeat for Irby at home to Poynton in Division Two and they have a survival fight on their hands.

The result was tough on Greg Shillinglaw who bowled 21 overs to claim 8-80. Dave Newman top scored with 41.

Rick Potter 52, Gary Dixon 4-26 and Liam Sundve 4-39 helped Oxton account for Northwich by six wickets.

Port Sunlight eased past Stalybridge St Pauls by seven wickets in Division One of the Cheshire Alliance.

Old Parkonians lost by 73 runs at Glazeberry where Craig Hawthorne took 4-45.

Tejpal Singh claimed 6-38 for Tranmere Vics during a 28 runs reverse at Norbury.

Eastham and Bromborough triumphed by 88 runs at Wistaston Village II in Division Three. Mark Griffiths finished on 77 not out and Russ Williams took 4-26.

Scoreboard:

Liverpool Competition Premier Div:- Ormskirk 63-1, New Brighton 59; Birkenhead Park 212, Lytham 239-6dec; Wallasey 255-6dec, Fleetwood Hesketh 108. Div.Two:- Birkenhead St Mary's 67, Skelmersdale 188; Caldy 143, Alder 124; Sutton 109, Parkfield Liscard 201.

Cheshire County League Premier Div:- Neston 158-1, Nantwich 156; Oxton 150-7, Urmston 149. Div.Two:- Irby 141, Poynton 142-9; Upton 140-4, Northwich 136.

Cheshire Alliance Div.One:- Glazeberry 181, Old Parkonians 108; Port Sunlight 100-3, Stalybridge St Pauls 94. Div.Two:- Norbury 120, Tranmere Vics 92. Div.Three:- Wistaston Village II 63, Eastham & Bromborough 151.

Fixtures for this Saturday include:

Liverpool Competition Premier Div:- Bootle v Birkenhead Park; New Brighton v Wallasey.

Div.Two:- Parkfield Liscard v Caldy; Prestatyn v Birkenhead St Mary's.

Cheshire County League Premier Div:- Marple v Oxton; Urmston v Neston.

Div.Two:- Bredbury St Marks v Irby; Warrington v Upton.

Cheshire Alliance Div.One: Old Parkonians v Appleton; Saughall v Port Sunlight; Stakybridge St Paul's v Ellesmere Port.

Div.Two:- Maritime v Norbury; Tranmere Vics v Rylands.

Div.Three:- Eastham & Bromborough v Mossley.

Cheshire League Div.Three:- Wirral v Aston.