Big things were expected of Brighouse this season, but they almost hit a new low on Saturday.

Hartshead Moor have only managed three one-pointers so far this centenary season in Division Two.

But the basement club came so close to their first win at home to Brighouse.

Matthew Evans (32) and overseas player Chris Welsford (49), who added 53 for the third wicket, were the mainstays of Moor's 163 all out.

There were no alarms as Brighouse progressed to 52 for one, but it was a rather different story at 76 for five. However, Mick Wood (43) and Jamie Marchant (37) then added 66 to put Brighouse back in charge.

A steady fall of wickets then made it advantage Moor at 159 for nine, though, but the Priestley Cup quarter-finalists sneaked a one-wicket win thanks to Daniel Dunkerley (seven not out).

If defeat would have been hard on Undercliffe's Jaffer Nazir in Division One, it would probably have been even harder on Brighouse's Richard Robinson.

The off-spinner's bowling figures were an incredible 8.2-2-9-6, and he then made 49, being dismissed shouldering arms.

The win was only enough to lift Brighouse up to tenth, though, and they are 21 points behind leaders Saltaire, who beat fourth-placed Bankfoot by 46 runs.

Mohammed Isaq (47) and Mansha Khan (36) helped Saltaire to a none-too-promising 169 all out, and Bankfoot looked in charge at 64 for one with Gary wainwright (35) and overseas player Saleem Mughal (31) going well.

That almost proved the end of bankfoot's resistance, however, save for a last-wicket stand of 27, as overseas player Irfan Fazil (7-65) and Ijaz Khan (3-22) shared all the wickets.

Things are tightening up in the battle for the promotion spots as Bradford and Bingley and Salts both won, Richard Nichols scoring 123 not out for the Wagon Laners, equalling the third best individual score of the season in the section.

Adam Swallow (4-46), Matthew Cockshott (3-47) and Lance Shaw (3-67) had combined to reduce hosts Manningham Mills to 194, Bingley triumphing by eight wickets.

Overseas player Kamran Younis of Salts rivalled Robinson for the all-rounder of the day award, scoring 61 and taking seven for 28 in the 104-run victory over Great Horton.

Keighley are still second, however, courtesy of a winning draw at Esholt. The visitors rattled up 274 for nine, Mark Beckett (120) and Lee Gordon (59) adding 94 and they used eight bowlers as Esholt hung on for a point at 149 for eight.