EAST Bierley's seven-wicket victory over JCT600 Bradford League Division One leaders Pudsey St Lawrence might have raised a few eyebrows last Saturday – but not necessarily those of Saints' cricket chairman Paul Hutchison.

The honest former Yorkshire, Sussex and Middlesex pace bowler said: "East Bierley, who have some talented players, outplayed us in all aspects, and that is reflected in the scorecard.

"It was a wake-up call that has been coming as we had reached the halfway point of the season unbeaten in the league but we have been winning without playing well, which is a positive in some respects.

"However, the safety net that we had over second-placed Woodlands was not taken away from us as they also lost at New Farnley."

St Lawrence have not only lost their first league match of the season but were beaten in the last eight of the Priestley Cup at Bradford & Bingley in mid-June and lost a thrilling Twenty20 final on home turf last Sunday against Pudsey Congs.

But although these setbacks may have given Saints pause for thought, it hasn't dented their confidence ahead of tomorrow's visit to second-placed Woodlands.

Separated by 24 points – it was 25 before last weekend – and realising that the result will settle nothing, Hutchison was quick to remind Bradford League aficionados that they have a good recent record against their foes from Albert Terrace.

He said: "We beat them twice on successive days there in June last year – in the league and the Priestley Cup."

Both games were low scoring, with Saints making 141 on the Saturday after Adam Waite had scored 39, tail-ender Oliver Ashford a vital 27 and Callum Goldthorp 26 as Chris Brice took 5-44 and Pieter Swanepoel 3-46.

Woodlands had the dominant batsman in Logan Weston (57) but only Sam Frankland (22) gave him support as Steve Watts bagged 4-29 and Richie Lamb 2-18, and the hosts fell an agonising ten runs short.

Runs were also at a premium in the last-eight cup tie, with Saints only managing 139-7 off their 50 overs, Mark Robertshaw scoring 31 as Brice (4-21) was again among the wickets. However, Craig Wiseman (4-19) and Lamb (3-22) helped to dismiss Woodlands for only 78.

Wiseman should recover from the shoulder injury he sustained during last Sunday's Twenty20 final but may be missing as his partner is due to give birth, while in-form leg-spinner Tom Hudson is expected to be out for up to a month with ankle ligament damage.

Hutchison added: "We are missing a strike bowler but Josh Wilson is set to come in and has done well for us."

The two other key matches in Division One are third-placed Hanging Heaton hosting fifth-placed New Farnley, while fourth-placed Cleckheaton are at Pudsey Congs. In Division Two, the top match sees second-placed Scholes visiting Gomersal who are fifth.