THERE is no stopping Elton at the top of the Bolton Association.
The unbeaten Bury side made it six wins out of seven with another dominating display against Astley and Tyldesley.
And it was Mark Goddard with the ball and Dexter Fitton with the bat who stole the show yet again.
Former Walshaw man Goddard has been in top form this season and took another five wickets as A&T were limited to 159-8 after starting well with 50-0.
Mike Cutt hit 71 for A&T but that knock was eclipsed by Fitton whose average is around the 100 mark and added another 90 not out to his impressive collection.
Elton won with seven wickets and 12 overs to spare to open up real daylight between themselves and the chasing pack, expecially with their two closest rivals at start of play both losing.
Darcy Lever went down to their first defeat against Little Hulton who won far more comfortably that the score suggests.
Chasing Darcy's 176-8, pro Devendra Bundela hitting 84, Little Hulton needed six to win with six wickets intact.
In their efforts to give Mark Penny the strike to hit a six for his hundred, they lost three wickets to Craig Burke, one of which being Penny who was bowled taking a huge swipe.
Walshaw also lost ground on the leaders as Clifton made up for a disappointing defeat to Adlington last week by getting their title challenge back on track. It was an exciting penultimate ball finish as Clifton met their target with two wickets remaining.
Fifteen-year-old Jamie Royle marked his first game as first team opener with 61, his debut half century, and David Hamilton added 42 as part of a second wicket century.
A second important partnership came later on when Steve Holt and Simon Bamford saw them through a testing spell by putting on almost 60 runs.
Jonathan Fielding took four Clifton wickets while, earlier on, Brett Collins hit an unbeaten 52 for Walshaw, Rob Faulkner scored 51 and Tony Kelly 47 in their total of 214-5.
An even more thrilling finish came at Standish where Atherton had to sweat for only their second victory of the season.
Chasing Standish's 189-7 -- Mike Crookson 64, Mark Edelston 40 not out and Paul Hassan 40 -- Atherton lost two wickets in the last over and needed two runs off the last ball to win. They did not look like getting them as Philip Wakefield's shot did not leave the square but poor fielding enabled Atherton to somehow scramble two runs.
Atherton got off to a good start with 16-year-old Carl Brown hitting 67 and Philip West 46 in a second wicket stand of around 90.
Neil Bannister chipped in with 23 and Wakefield's unbeaten 22 was mightily important. Standish pro Mike Crookson was unlucky to be on the losing side as he added six wickets to his big score.
Golborne and Edgworth made sure it was a day of exciting endings as their game finished in a tie.
Graham Marston hit 44 and pro Reyman Shah 32 as Golborne made 181-7. Edworth looked to be cruising while Mike Davies was on his way to 66. But things changed after he was run out and they ultimately need five off the last over and two off the last ball to win. They made one and honours were even. The reliable Nick Kernick added 28.
Pro Faisal Alfredi was the driving force behind Daisy Hill's six-wicket win at Blackrod.
Chasing 185-5, Alfredi hit Blackrod's bowlers all over the field before being out on 67. Duncan Brooks added 44 and Shaun Brooks scored 29. Earlier Craig Smith produced the best innings of the match with a superb unbeaten 73.
Blackrod v Daisy Hill
Blackrod 185-5 Craig Smith 73 no out,
Q. Abbas 3-65
Daisy Hill 186-4
Faisal Afridi pro 67. really got hold of bowlers, smacking them all over.
Shaun Brooks 29, Duncan Brooks 44, Howard Brooks 0.
Golborne v Edgworth
Golborne 181-7
Graham Marston 44
Reyman Shah pro 32
Edgworth 181-9
Mike Davies 66, crusing with him in. run out. five off last over. Two off last ball to win and ran one.
Nick Kernick 28.
Barry Greenwood 6-64..
Lostock v Spring View
Standish v Atherton
Standish 189-7
Paul Hassan opener 40, pro Mike Crookson 64, Mark Edelston 40 not out.
Lee Childs pro 2-53,
Atherton 190-8
Needed two off last ball
Good start Carl Brown, 16 years old, 67 and Philip West 46. about 90 for second wicket. Neil Bannister 23.Philip Wakefield 22 not out at the end. Wickets falling at olther end. Two wickets went in last over. Took two wickets and needed two runs off last ball. Wakefield hit it, and didn't leave the square, would have been a scrambled single. Somehow got two.
Mike Crookson, pro, 6-55.
Clifton v Walshaw
Walshaw 214-5
Rob Faulkner 51
Tony Kelly 47
Brett Collins 52 not out
Clifton 217-8 last over two balls left
Jamie Royle, 15, opened 61. first time opening in first team. Come in at end in the past and debut 50.
David Hamilton 42 - they put on seond wicket 100.
Steve Holt and Simon Bamford put on about 50-60, towards the end.
Jonathan Fielding 4-76.
Darcy Lever v Little Hulton
Darcy 176-8
Little Hulton 178-8 with three overs to spare.
Darcy pro Devendra Bundela 84
Ijaz Mahmood 2-39 rpo, Mark Penny 2-31.
Little Hulton 178-8, Mark Penny 94 - bowled trying to get his six.
Needed six to win with six wickets in tact. To give him the strike for a six for a 100.
Craig Burke 3-5 those last three
Bundela pro 2-47, Dominic Gavin 2-51.
First Darcy defeat.
Elton v Astley and Tyldesley
Astley and Tyldesley 159-8 good start 50-0,
Mike Cutt 71, Mark Goddard 5-83 (going great), Dexter Fitton 2 wickets.
Elton 160-3 12overs to spare.
Dexter Fitton 90 not out.
Average about 100.
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