DAVE Mather took the key wicket of Greenmount captain Andy Kerr to help Farnworth Social Circle clinch victory from the jaws of defeat and inch closer to their sixth title on Sunday.

Social Circle went into the match without key players Tim Rees and Josh Bohannon and looked up against it after being bowled out for 132.

Andrew Lane top scored with 40, while pro Rameez Alam chipped in with a crucial 21 runs, but the twin strike force of Mark Stewart (6-56) and Phil Heaton (3-41) were always on top.

The visiting batsmen also struggled on a green pitch still slippery following Saturday’s downpour.

But Kerr occupied one end and picked his way to a gutsy 81 to take Greenmount to within 11 runs of their target before becoming the ninth man to fall and Mather’s sixth victim of a match-winning spell of 6-68.

Chris Barrow also took 3-34 as Social Circle claimed a five-run win, maintaining a 10-point lead at the top with four matches left to play.

Their only remaining rivals for the title – second-placed Westhoughton and Bradshaw in third – both put themselves in position to pounce if Social Circle had slipped up.

On Saturday, Chris Wilson took a hat-trick for Farnworth but the visitors looked in control as they made 180-7 from 44 overs before rain brought play to an early close.

Damien Keegan was out for 47 and Ryan Senior had notched up 50 before Wilson struck.

Unfortunately for Greenmount, Farnworth did not even get the chance to bat and chairman Dave Willetts believes the bad weather put paid to any chance of them pipping their rivals to fourth spot and a place in the Lancashire Knockout next season.

“It could have been our last chance to get back into the race for fourth,” said Willetts.

“We started the day 11 points behind Farnworth so, realistically, they have to lose twice and we were in a good position to force the win. But I am afraid the weather has been the big winner this summer.”