ELWORTH are relegated from the Premier Division after just one season in the top flight.

A dismal campaign for the London Road outfit will be a bitter pill to swallow for players and staff who had hoped the club could go from strength to strength after last year's glorious promotion season.

It will be a case of back to the drawing board after Saturday's defeat at Championship-chasing Moddershall sealed their fate.

Batting first, Elworth posted a total of 174 all out with Ian Mitchell (42) and Peter Davis (30).

Six of the other batsmen made worthwhile contributions to salvage an innings that stood at 119-6. Moddershall spinners Darren Carr (5-56) and Joe Woodward (4-48) ensured the home side kept the upper hand.

Moddershall started their run chase in positive fashion as R Holloway quickly reached 44 out of a 59-run first-wicket partnership with Andy Hawkins (19).

The off-spin of Elworth stalwart Jim Higgins was the main threat, as he looked back to his best in an accurate spell of 5-65. Mitchell (1-23) and Ricky Ballard (1-39) gave decent support to keep the pressure on.

But a match-winning knock of 55no from teenager Simon Hemmings finally hammered the nail in Elworth's coffin, as Moddershall scraped home in the last over to finish on 178-7, condemning them to Division One.

Elworth's seven points leaves them 25 behind Porthill Park with one match to go. Even if Elworth get a maximum return and Porthill nothing from their final fixture, Porthill have more victories and will survive.

Bottom-spot Betley will also drop a division after a home defeat to Checkley. The visitors batted first and were all out for 180. Darren Snape (63) made the biggest impression while Simon Cork (24) contributed.

Checkley made hard work of their task at times but R Barnett (40), J Pickles (30) and A Carr (30) pushed their team on to 181-9 and victory. Richard Cooper and Nasser Mehmood grabbed three wickets each for Betley.

In Division One, Crewe picked up a useful 10 points from their drawn game at Leycett.

The hosts batted first and got off to a flyer as openers Andy Williams (32) and Tom Redfern (46) put on a rapid 60 before left-arm spinner Martin Webb came on and had Williams well caught at slip by Richard Marsh.

Professional Bilal Hussain was caught by Matt Dawson off Aizaz Cheema for a duck and, when Webb took his second wicket, the score had gone from 60-0 to 62-3.

Webb bowled a fine spell of 15 overs, taking 4-45, with Annu Sinha chipping in with a wicket. Leycett were in trouble at 122-6 but youngster James Mayor helped them re-cover with a fine 52 before Tom Gower and Nick Lange finally had them all out for 208.

In Crewe's reply, Lange (65) and Hurst put on 28 before the latter was bowled.

Mark Spencer helped the in-form Lange put on 75 for the second wicket.

When Lange went, Crewe looked strong at 124-2. But three swift wickets left them 127-5 and Crewe fell behind the required run rate. Dawson and Marsh were dismissed as a win slipped from Crewe's reach, but Jo Boyle (27no) batted sensibly to guide his team to a draw on 188-9.

Meanwhile, Haslington's Tom Gledhill returned 7-30 as his side proved they still have the steel for a fight despite their relegation from Division One.

The bottom club were at Hem Heath on Saturday and were put into bat.

Openers Chris Henderson (55) and Richard Bebbington (11) put together a 50 partnership, while Lee Morris (12) and Dean Bedson (88) put on 49 for the fourth wicket. Bedson later teamed up with Johnny Phipps for a partnership of 46 as they closed the innings on 212-6.

Richard Brown struck early to take the vital wicket of Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra (8), and he dismissed G Ridgeway for 18.

The hosts had reached 105 before a spell of 4.5 overs yielded seven wickets for just two as Gledhill turned the game in Haslington's favour, leaving Hem Heath 130-9.

After a quick 'tail-wag', Dave Moreton took the last wicket to complete the victory.