NORTHOP were handed a Division One promotion lifeline on Saturday when the top two failed to significantly stretch their lead over the Flint Road outfit. While Denbigh were being held to a winning draw by stalemate specialists Rhewl, second-placed Llay Welfare were seeing their long unbeaten run come to an end against a Llandudno 2nds side that had not won since May. Chirk struggled to victory over Brymbo, however, to jump up to third. But Northop, who were not in action, can move back above Chirk by beating them at home tomorrow. Llay entertain a Denbigh team for whom it is their last game of the campaign in the second of the crunch double-header. Buckley boosted their hopes of Division Two survival with a nine-wicket romp at Abergele on Saturday. The Lane End boys have showed signs of improvement of late and were rewarded with their first victory since the opening weekend. Simon Nicholls (52no) and Alan Thomas (20no), following good work from Chris Allen (34), saw them to 125-1 after bowling Abergele out for 123. Carmel & District kept their slim promotion hopes alive with a 23-run triumph at fellow challengers Bangor 2nds, who were all out for 139 (Michael Harrison 3-16, Jonathan Hunter 3-17) in reply to 162, a total made possible by Richard Jones (62) and Mike Jones (43). Halkyn, who head to Buckley tomorrow, also maintained their outside hopes of going up with a five- wicket win over basement boys St Asaph, who were skittled for 107 by Ben Roberts (5-17), Jack Griffiths (3-27) and John Gaskell (2-14) before the hosts made their way to 110-5 courtesy of Mike Briscoe (43no) and Graeme Settle (31). Northop 2nds went down to second-placed Pwllheli, who posted 148-7 (Jordan Evans 3-19) and stopped the home side short on 95 (David Foulkes 20). | 
Flintshire Sport 
