The race for the Bradford League First Division championship intensified as all three title contenders won their latest matches.

With four matches to play, only three points separate leaders Pudsey Congs, second-placed East Bierley and third-placed Woodlands and the battle for the title seems

certain to go to the wire.

Congs, who are aiming for a record sixth successive championship, enjoyed a nine-wicket home win against third-from-the-bottom Bankfoot.

Former Congs batsman Neil Nicholson top-scored with 62 as Bankfoot totalled 186 for nine with overseas pace bowler Shezad Butt taking four for 78 and slow left-armer Glenn Roberts three for 40.

The total presented few problems for Congs, who reached their target with 7.1 overs to spare, opener Andy Bethel (82) and Bradley Parker (74) leading the way.

Bierley remain two points behind Congs after a seven-wicket win against Pudsey St Lawrence. Opener Alex Stead dominated St Lawrence's innings with 77 out of 158 as overseas pace bowler Jaffer Nazir took five for 62 and his opening partner Greg Lambert four for 44.

Opener Chris Taylor (41) and skipper Richard Gould (66) put them on course for a comfortable victory before teenage off spinner Chris Marsden gave them a late scare by taking four for 31 in seven overs.

Woodlands are still one point behind Bierley after their eight-wicket home win against bottom club Spen Victoria. Pace man Pieter Swanepoel took five for 48 and slow left-armer Chris Brice three for 18 as Spen were bowled out for 126.

Woodlands then cruised to victory in 30.3 overs with opener Russell Murray making 60 not out and Nicky Whitehill 53.

Spen remain 14 points adrift of safety and last season's Second Division champions Bradford & Bingley are also in grave relegation trouble after Idle beat them by seven runs in a tense, low-scoring match at Wagon Lane.

Bingley looked to be on course for what would have been only their fourth win of the season when they needed 20 for victory with five wickets left. However, they lost their sixth wicket at 117 and then the match took a dramatic turn as Idle's Sri Lankan international Dinushi Fernando took a hat-trick to leave Bingley on 121 for nine, still needing 16 to win. They were all out for 129 with Fernando finishing with seven for 75. Mark Beckett was Bingley's top scorer with 64.

Captain John Wood produced a remarkable bowling performance in Cleckheaton's 101-run win at Morley. Yorkshire batsman Andrew Gale top-scored with 121 in Cleckheaton's total of 247 for seven.

Wood then took five wickets in four overs in his first spell and returned to take three more wickets to finish off the Morley innings to give himself figures of eight for 17 in 5.5 overs with six of his victims clean bowled.

Farsley batsman Ashley Metcalfe scored 115 not out, but finished on the losing side against Hanging Heaton. Their skipper Alex Morris top-scored with 66 not out.

Having already made sure of promotion, Second Division leaders Keighley have now won the championship following their nine-wicket win at Great Horton.

Paceman Ross Towler took five

for 45 and Australian Nick Austin four for 53 to bowl out Horton for a mere 99. Matthew Bottomley then led the way to victory with an unbeaten 64.

Second-placed Brighouse beat Yeadon by 140 runs and also look like being promoted.