Skipton's survival hopes in Division B of the Airedale & Wharfedale League have been hanging by a thread for a while now, but the Sandylands men kept their chances alive going into the last two games of the season with a fine win over promotion contenders Kirkstall last weekend.

The disappointing aspect for Skipton was that Ilkley, the side they are trying to overtake to get out of the relegation zone, also picked up valuable points against bottom club Illingworth.

Skipton now travel to Tong Park tomorrow and entertain Otley next week knowing that they must win both games to have any hope of catching Ilkley. If the men from Denton Road manage a win from their two games, Skipton's goose is cooked.

The win over Kirkstall, 32 points above them in the table before the game, should have ensured that Skipton take the battle to the wire, for this was a result which made nonsense of the respective league positions.

The visitors batted first and were restricted to 131-9 in their overs by a very tidy display from all three Skipton bowlers. Will Deerness, Martin Windle and Andrew Fergie all managed to keep the Leeds side in check, with Fergie bowling 16 overs for just 23 runs and two wickets and Windle claiming 4-41 from his 17-over spell.

When openers Kevin Owens (28) and Steve Carling (48) put on 43 for the first wicket and then Windle (18) joined Carling to take the total into the eighties before the second wicket fell, the home side looked to be cruising, but a mid-order collapse caused anxieties.

With skipper Geoff Fryers steadying the ship with an unbeaten 16, however, Skipton claimed victory with three wickets in hand to ensure that their season goes into the final furlong.

In Division A, Steeton were just four runs short of their target at Green Lane when the overs ran out after a high-scoring encounter. The Yeadon side made a very handy 225-4 when they batted first, but Grant Lindsay (88), Gary Boulton (71) and Oliver Gledhill (49) fashioned a powerful response that came within a whisker of snatching the points at 221-9.

Silsden also had the better of their drawn game at home to Knaresborough thanks to some good work with the bat. Waggett (47), Akrigg (42) and Sugden (44no) were the mainstays of the side's 171-7 total, but despite a good stint from Matthew Shuttleworth (5-78), Green Lane were hanging on at 126-8 at stumps.

Upper Wharfedale had every reason to be optimistic when they posted 194-7 in Division C at home to Colton, but the visitors responded solidly to the challenge. Ian Austin (53) and Steve Busbridge (51) both made half centuries for Wharfedale, but the visitors were equally obdurate and edged home at 197-8.