MORECAMBE'S Bay Northern Premier League title challenge is faltering, after they managed only a losing draw against Darwen.

Morecambe are still holding on to third place, but are losing ground on reigning champions Netherfield and their closest challengers, Chorley.

Rudra Singh was Morecambe's star man, taking four wickets to halt Darwen's run charge on 251 for six. Most of the damage was done by Gareth and John Cordingley, who made 74 and 83 respectively.

Unfortunately for Morecambe, none of their batsmen were able to get a grip of the innings, with Amol Muzumdar making their best total, a useful 39 making him the top scorer but not quite on a par with his recent, excellent totals.

LANCASTER firsts suffered a demoralising defeat at Lune Road while the seconds played out for a draw at Fleetwood on Saturday. The firsts are left rock-bottom but the seconds will challenge Fleetwood and Morecambe for the title to the close of the season.

Fleetwood pro, Craig Pryor, was star-man at Lune Road, scoring 109 of their 178/8 total. But to Lancaster's dismay, he'd only just started! The all-rounder took 2/24 off 11 overs and also claimed two catches at slip.

Without the Aussie, it may have been so different -- Fleetwood's only other significant scorer hit 28. But his team-mates still managed to hit 3 sixes in the closing overs -- one of which looked set for Morecambe before it actually dropped in Lune Road!

The performance of Pryor pointed to the importance of a side's pro player. He shone and won the game almost single-handedly, but Lancaster's barely even figured. Breese took 3/71 but youngster, Chris Glover claimed 4/30 from just 8 overs.

The Jamaican was the third wicket to fall and it was left to his team-mates to salvage a result. Lancaster could be placing too big a burden on Breese (he was forced to bowl 28 overs), but he may just be under-achieving. Either way, it seems his performance defines the team's overall display.

In all fairness, Lancaster never looked like winning. Fleetwood batted positively and aggressively whereas Lancaster made several mistakes in the field. Pryor was also backed by Hill, who took 17/4 from 9 overs, in Fleetwood's bowling attack.

Looking at the positives, youngsters are given greater responsibility and Glover, Danny Hagan and Ben Simm have all improved this season as a result. Hagan scored 17 before falling for lbw at 29/4, and Simm added some respectability, scoring 3 fours on his way to 16.

Captain, Phil Dennison, also showed some fight, scoring two fours, but was unluckily caught after being clipped playing no stroke. Lancaster finally lost their remaining three wickets scoring no runs, to finish 73 all out.

On a brilliant batting track, Fleetwood seconds amassed an even more daunting total. Lancaster were set 267 but once their wickets started to fall they settled for 174/9. Runs were spread throughout Fleetwood's batting order, with top scorer, David Latus, hitting 46. Ian Dawson took 4/61 while Paul Dennison and Bob Masterman both claimed two wickets, for 64 and 59, respectively. Lancaster's bowlers also gifted an incredible 47 extras, though!

Lancaster made an encouraging opening partnership of 50 before Chris Ferro was dismissed for 19. His partner, youngster Batterbee, later went just one short of his half-ton. Dennison hit 29 off 19 balls, which included 2 sixes and 2 fours, but they were also losing wickets fast.

It was therefore left for Masterman (20 n.o.) and Ben Fisher to nervously bat out the last overs.

To leave Fleetwood with 7, not 15, points and take 3 themselves was a great result, especially with a depleted side.