CRICKET'S oldest adage about catches winning matches was painfully underlined for Skipton when they went down by the narrowest of margins to last season Airedale & Wharfedale League champions Steeton at Sandylands.

Skipton lost by three wickets, but the winning run which overhauled their 182-7 total did not come until the third ball of the last over, at which point they were once again left to reflect on what might have been.

Robert Wynn's unbeaten innings of 56 was the key to Steeton's success, yet he survived a couple chances, notably one in his teens when fieldsmen collided going for the catch. He went on to play the match-winning knock, a six off Mick Scott and a four off Chris Gott when the contest really started to tighten giving Steeton vital breathing space at a crucial stage.

"Dropped catches always count and in this game they were probably the difference between winning and losing," said Skipton captain Chris Gott: "Not only did we let Wynn off the hook, but we also gave Andy Smith a life later on and he scored vital runs.

"In contrast, their skipper Matt Pinniger took a good catch at extra cover to get me out and then a blinder to remove Sean Atkinson. Those moments were probably the difference between the sides, but it's no excuse. We've played well in a number of games and had our chances, but we have to convert those good positions into wins."

A season's best display from opener Steve Young, who hit 78 and showed plenty of guts during a difficult opening spell, was the foundation for the Skipton innings, with Gott (47) helping the side to an above-par total of 182-7.

After a steady start from openers Alex Howarth and Stuart Hudson, Scott claimed the first of his five victims when he trapped in-form Howarth lbw for a relatively modest 10. Hudson went on to make 33 before Scott struck again, but Wynn's arrival gave substance to the Steeton middle order when Skipton were poised to press home their advantage.

With solid backing from Mark Hedges (28) and then Smith (18), Wynn kept the score moving and although Scott finished with a 5-77 haul from 25 overs, Steeton edged home with three balls to spare.

Silsden's attempts to escape from bottom place were foiled at North Leeds, where they were beaten by four wickets.

Only David Jackson (44), David Bainbridge (36) and Andy Pullen (22) made much headway against the North Leeds attack as Silsden reached 154-8 in their allotted overs, a modest return after the side were 99-3 at one stage.

North Leeds' top-order men then put their team on the way to victory. Openers Hales (27) and Singleton (38) put on 36 for the first wicket before Hales was run out. Then Yeates (45) joined Singleton and they took the total to 128 before Andy Emmott had Yeates caught by Pullen.

Hayden Tennant finished with a very creditable 4-15, but although North Leeds lost a couple of wickets on the brink of victory, they got home with plenty to spare.

Silsden will be hoping to break their duck tomorrow when they entertain Burley, the only other side in Division A without a win this season.

Upper Wharfedale were always struggling when they failed to get enough runs to give their bowlers much of a chance at second-in-the-table Woodhouse, where they went down by 10-wickets.

Colin Stead, coming in at No 10, was top scorer with 20 after the visitors found themselves two wickets down before they had a run on the board and half the side out for 40. Their total of 103 always looking fragile once the Woodhouse openers began to show a confident touch.

The Dalesmen were unable to separate the pair, with Pickles (34 no) and Sri Lankan Nawana (58no) carrying the Leeds side to a comfortable success.

Skipton Seconds reached their highest score of the season when they reached 244-6 to get the better of a one-sided game against Menston.

Kevin Owens (46) and Chris Parker (10) set the standard with a solid opening partnership and their good work was continued by Peter Roe (41), Mohammed Saghir (33) and Shahed Rashid, who hit a superb 69no of only 48 deliveries.

Confronted by such a formidable total, the Menston top-order batsmen went into defensive mode and although Rashid claimed three victims, the home side had opener Bradley (56no) leading a successful rearguard which finished with his side at 121-4 at the close.

Upper Wharfedale Seconds gave a strong batting display at home to Woodhouse only to be denied by a whisker in a game which yielded over 400 runs. Woodhouse set a hefty target for the Dalesmen when they totalled 207-5, but they responded impressively.

An unbeaten 57 from Yorkshire RU skipper John Lawn and good support from Andrew Butt (35) and skipper David Crabtree (33) took them to within three runs of their target but their only consolation after a valiant effort was the two points awarded for not being bowled out.