APPLETON made it four wins from four and kept hold of top spot in Cheshire Cricket Alliance Division One on Saturday.

They defeated Stalybridge by five wickets, with a confident 60 from Ant Hurst steering Appleton home.

Excellent bowling from Ed Sygrove and Duane Jones restricted Stalybridge to 96, with Sygrove taking his fifth wicket to finish off the innings.

Appleton's reply looked shaky as the wet conditions got the better of them but Hurst delivered in style.

The second team won a thriller at Lyons Lane, beating Stalybridge's seconds by three runs.

Excellent work by Gary Bailey, 42, and Steve Reece, 38 not out, pushed Appleton to 145 before they ran out of overs.

Stalybridge's reply was dominant initially but Chris McClellan turned the game with four wickets.

Stuart Bate took two vital wickets at the death and a direct hit run-out saw the away side stranded on 142, three runs short of the Appleton total.

The thirds produced a convincing six-wicket display in their home match against Kerridge.