FLIXTON stretched their lead at the top of the Bolton Association table after they won at Astley & Tyldesley and Bury suffered a surprise home defeat at the hands of Edgworth.

Just one point separated the two frontrunners going into Saturday’s fixtures, but Flixton’s comfortable six-wicket triumph changed that.

Bury, meanwhile, lost on home soil by 29 runs, ending on a modest 113 all out chasing a target of 143.

Edgworth posted 142-9 thanks to Liam Watkinson’s knock of 44 with Bury professional Nekoli Parris the pick of the bowlers taking 3-48.

The visitors had been 10-2 but solid partnerships from Watkinson with George Holliday and then skipper Guy Haynes pushed the total up.

Bury did not perform well with the bat, with Parris’s 29 the only real score of note as Watkinson took 3-31 and Gareth Williams weighed in with 4-18.

Alistair Murray’s late flurry added some respectability to the total but it was not enough to help the title chasers avoid a damaging defeat.

Elton leapfrogged Bury into second place in the table, moving two points above their neighbours and within nine points of Flixton, after enjoying a routine eight-wicket victory at Adlington.

The hosts posted 147-9 thanks to Stuart Plowes (45) and Tom Foster (22) though their score was restricted by measured bowling from professional Chris Read (3-68) and Adam Stansfield (3-16).

Elton reached 152-2 in a reply that secured victory with 12 overs to spare.

David Murray top scored with 59no while Alistair Lowes was also unbeaten on 46 and Read struck 31.

Walshaw lost a thrilling encounter at Lostock by just two runs in a dramatic final over.

Nick Jeffs scored 62 as the hosts posted 173, Danny Hornby’s 6-41 the best figures for Walshaw.

The visitors recovered from 86-5 but fell just short on 171 after a partnership of 67 from Darron Foy (40) and Ben Hilder had taken them to 153-6.