Chorley’s Northern Premier League title hopes took a severe battering when they were beaten by nine wickets on a bad day at Blackpool as their excellent run was brought to a shuddering halt on a miserable afternoon.

With Darwen’s Birch Hall clash with Kendal an early casualty because of the heavy overnight and Saturday morning rain and leaders St Annes also frustrated by the dreadful conditions at Morecambe, all eyes were on Andy Holdsworth’s men as they looked to take full advantage of one of their two games in hand.

But their day went pear-shaped at Stanley Park as Jack Catterall, Holdsworth, Stuart Naden and Jack Bentham were all sent packing for single figures.

In fact, only Will Moulton (20) and professional Gaurav Dhar (11) managed double figures as Chorley were rolled out for just 63 in 25.2 overs with paceman Richard Gleeson, backed by some superb fielding, took 7-24 off 13 overs.

It was looking grim for Chorley, although at one stage it appeared as though rain could come to their rescure - but after a short dealy and the early loss of Smith, bowled by Keiran McCullagh for five, it was all plain sailing for Blackpool and John Mounsey (34 not out) and Andy Furniss (24 not out) eased them home.

Elsewhere it was Leyland who stole a march on their title rivals as the defending champions beat Preston by five wickets at Fox Lane to move within one point of St Annes at the top.

Luis Reece and Peter Cummings laid the foundation for Leyland’s victory when play got underway an hour late at Fox Lane in a match reduced to 42 overs.

Reece took the first three wickets to fall, claiming caught-and-bowled to dismiss Sajid Patel and Paul Paynter and clean bowling Preston captain Lukman Vahaluwala.

Vahaluwala had hit his first ball, from pro Brett Pelser over mid-wicket for six and reached 28 off 34 balls until Reece uprooted his off stump.

Preston subsided to 64-8 but Yasin Patel and Charlie Williams gave them hope with an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 38 to help them close on 102-8.

Reece then hit 38 and Andrew Makinson 23 as they champions got home.

In the only other Division One game played South African Pieter Malan continued his prolific batting run as Barrow beat Carnforth by nine wickets at Lodge Quarry.

In a match reduced to 40 overs Carnforth set a testing target of 215 after Darren Moore (75) and pro Gareth Pedder (99 not out) shared a fifth wicket stand of 141.

But Malan coasted to 107 not out as Barrow strolled home and now has 869 league runs at an average of 86.90 with four league hundreds and has Callum Ferguson’s all-time record of 1,381 runs in his sights with 10 games to play.

In Division Two Chorley seconds managed a draw with Blackpool.

In a match reduced to 34 overs per side Blackpool reached 130-6 at Windsor Park with Chris Harty claiming 3-40 from 15 overs.

Chorley collapsed to 54-5 in reply but skipper Ian Mawdesley made an unbeaten 51 to steer his side to 118/7 at the close.

The remaining Division Two fixtures were abandoned without a ball being bowled as the rain poured.