RAINFORD continue to find life tough in the Bridging Finance Solutions Liverpool Competition Premier Division and it didn’t come any easier last Saturday with the visit of League leaders Lytham. After electing to bat they were reduced to 47 for 4 after Lancashire County pace man Oliver Newby had removed both Nic Hendrie and Mark Williams.

The innings was then partly rescued by a battling 62 from Mark Brook who, with good support from Stuart Benzies, Ravi Mistry and Andrew Pickavance, helped his side post a total of 152 all out.

This was always unlikely to be enough and so it proved.

Despite Andy Davies bowling well to collect 3 for 39 the Fylde coast outfit reached their target for the loss of five wickets.

With eight games left to go Rainford remain in the drop zone, in 11th place, above Colwyn Bay.

The feeling at the Jubilee Recreation Ground is that the team has been competitive in most, if not all of their matches, and that one win is just around the corner.

The second eleven shared a frustrating afternoon dodging the showers with Sutton seconds in a game eventually halted by the rain.

The hosts declared on 140 for 7 with Andrew Harrison bagging 4 for 18. Rainford were 59 for 5 when the game was abandoned.

Meanwhile, to emphasise that at Rainford as with other local cricket clubs, the club is not just all about Saturdays, the juniors are completing the most successful season in the club’s history.

The U15s have won the Southport and District A League and are cup finalists; the U13s have won their A League and the U11s after winning the Wigan Junior League are in the semi final of the Lancashire County U11 competition. The U13s and U11s are still in contention for other honours too.