Crawley Eagles III have soared to the top of the league after winning an ill-tempered affair against West Blatchington.

Eagles secured a nailbiting four-wicket win by limiting the home side to 173-5 in reply to their 176 total. Kevin Cooke hit 53 for Blatchington and skipper Sunny Agnihotri was 38 not out. Faisal followed-up his 54 runs with three wickets for Eagles.

The victors have a game in hand over Blatch and appear certainties for the championship.

After heading the table for most of the season Blatchington were frustrated.

Agnihotri said: "Our umpire was taken ill so their's did both ends. There was a lot of sledging and a few dubious decisions.

"It was an awful match in terms of friendliness and I was just happy to get it over. There is some history between the two sides and I had to hold one of our players back at the end."

Eagles skipper Ishtaq Jalal responded: "They were desperate to beat us and they should have won easily.

"They were 96-0 at one stage, it was rather a case that they lost it in more ways than one.

"If you lose a game by three runs when you still have six people left to bat it is frustrating. It was a close, tense match but we always play fairly."

Three Bridges are third following their comprehensive 161-run victory at Blackstone.

The visitors set a total of 277-9 with Rob Staples hitting 127 and Steve Hill 41. In reply Blackstone were all out for 116 as Nick Barratt (3-28) and Colin Tennent (3-23) made inroads.

Hill said: "It was a good win but we will be lucky to finish higher than fourth.

"We have played more games than the other sides and lost two matches against the likes of Worthing Chippingdales who we should have beaten."

Chippingdale won their mid-table clash at Patcham by two wickets. The home side batted first and lost Addison early on to a fine stumping by Adam Thair.

Brian Huffer and Robinson then put on 34 for the second wicket before Tim Hall (3-38) and his brother Ollie reduced Patcham to 44-4.

There was a wag in the tail but Gul Fiaz made inroads as Patcham finished on 141.

In reply Chipps were 11-3 in the seventh over but Ollie Hall (31) then joined his brother Tim to turn things around. Together they added 46 before Osborn had Ollie caught for 31.

Tim and Jerry White put on an eighth wicket stand of 46 with Tim passing 50 for the second time this season in the league before being out for 58, seven runs short of the victory target.

White and Fiaz saw Chipps to victory despite Graham Stevenson taking 3-22.

Chichester Priory III gave their survival chances a huge boost with a comfortable 94-run win at home against Middleton.

Priory made 203-9 with Andy Barnes (61) and Jones (53) leading the scoring before the visitors were dismissed for 109 with Nick Jones taking 5-7.

Hove Medina are up to 12th following their seven-wicket win over Palmers and Jim Downey passed the 400-run mark for the season. Chasing 170-7, Downey's 62, plus a useful 45 from Neil Hardy, helped Medina reel in the target.

The win coincided with the return of wicketkeeper Brian Etheridge who has missed Medina's previous three games, all of which they have lost.

Medina's Reg Soffe said: "There is no way we will go down, we are better than that."

Lancing Manor piled on 250-7 against visitors Dome Mission on their way to a 40-run triumph. Danny Griffin (90) and Neil Reynolds (37) were the mainstays of the batting before Mission were dismissed for 210 in reply as Manor's Steve Luckhurst grabbed 5-27.

St Matthias lost by five wickets to Ram as their wretched home form continued.

Saints are yet to win at home this season but gave themselves a chance by posting 217-8 (Paul Drewitt 55), however, Ram amassed 220-5 thanks in large part to a superb 124 not out by their skipper Viren Patel.