NEW Brighton remain in deep relegation trouble after a heavy defeat to Northern as the Love Lane Liverpool Competition entered its final stretch.

The Wirral visitors crumbled to 98 all out with Martyn Evans' 17 the top score before the Crosby outfit eased to victory with the loss of three wickets. 

Reigning champions Wallasey put a severe dent in Leigh's hopes of winning the Premier League title as they beat the second place side by three wickets. Sumit Ruikar recaptured some of last season's form with 5-64 and Sohail Asilzada took 4-22 as the challengers were dismissed for 126. Andrew Ward (30) led the successful reply. 

Birkenhead Park lost the battle of the top two in Division One as Newton le Willows moved closer to the title. Park's Mark Rowland took 4-70 but the host's total of 226-9 declared looked imposing and so it proved as the visitors were bowled out for 104. 

Caldy improved their chances of survival with a home win over Sefton Park. Asiri Gamage (3-46) and Sachin Kumar Singh (3-68) combined to restrict Park to 170 all out. Singh then hit an unbeaten 56 to compleate a comprehensive eight wicket victory.

Irby recorded their second win of the season at the bottom of Division Two after Smit Mehta's 3-26 helped restrict Hightown St Mary's to 132 all out. Mehta then hit an unbeaten 41 and Rafi Afridi's 46 as Irby secured a five wicket victory. 

Parkfield Liscard lie one place above Irby after they beat Wavertree by 47 runs. Opener Ichira Yahathugoda hit 53 as the Wirral outfit reached 159 all out before Jehan Yahathugoda took 5-36 and Dinesh Reid 3-20 helped dismiss the hosts for 112.