THE battle to avoid relegation from the Senior Division is hotting up with only three more rounds of games to go in the Martin Berrill Sports Bristol & District League.
Because of events further up the local pyramid structure in WEPL, it could well be that three teams this year will have to drop down to Division One.
And with just nine points now between the bottom four, every point is vital in the fight to finish seventh and be safe.
Hanham (136) dropped to last place after being skittled for 64 and a 54-run home defeat at home to Golden Hill 2nds, Ash Bonynge-Pearce taking 4-19 and Jacob Lewis 3-9 from seven.
But the fate of Ross Robbins’ side is still in their own hands as their final two games are away to Cleeve (144) and then home to Claverham (136).
Claverham, meanwhile, banked 13 points from a home tie against Stapleton for whom Ruben Janse Van Vuuren hit the last ball of the game for four after earlier taking 3-43.
It was also a disappointing afternoon for Portishead (145) as third-placed Coalpit Heath snatched a one wicket win at The Lake Grounds.
Chasing 205 for the spoils, Heath were travelling well at 147-4 before the home side made in roads to take the game down to the wire.
Hayden Thompson levelled the scores with a boundary only to be dismissed next ball but that was the signal for last man Aaron Neal to stride out and hit the very next delivery for four to ensure the points.
Downend 2nds remain in second and hoping for promotion to WEPL after a six wicket home victory against Winterbourne that featured an unbroken stand of 101 between Dave Goodway (55) and Zac Aldridge (48).
Division Four pacesetters Bristol Sri Lankans suffered a first defeat of the campaign with a five wicket home setback against Blagdon.
But BSL remain top, five points ahead of Bristol Aces who trumped Barrow Gurney by 172 runs, Anas Ashfaq taking 3-4 and Vishnu Kumar 3-17.
The new leaders are Bristol New Eleven 3rds who chased down a target of 191 at Oldfield Park for a seven wicket win, openers Bonu Joseph (91) and Sajan Sam (78) sharing a stand of 174.
One of the innings of the day came in Seven North where opener Nick Price crashed an unbeaten 176 from 126 (19 fours, 11 sixes) for Bishopston 3rds in a 117-run home defeat of their Chipping Sodbury counterparts.
JEN Rivers has become the youngest female to take a hundred wickets in the B&D.
The 17-year-old seamer reached the landmark after finishing with 4-21 from 5.2 overs for Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury 2nds who overcame Bitton by 28 runs in Division Three.