Aythorpe Roding kept the pressure on the teams with a fifth win in six Mid Essex Cricket League games.

The seven-wicket win at home to Rettendon means the Premier Division title is already looking a three-horse race, with Roding third at the moment, two points behind Rayleigh and a further seven adrift of Tillingham.

But this was another solid team performance. All five bowlers claimed two wickets each as they restricted the visitors to 129 before they cruised home in the 26th over.

Andy Clarke had the best bowling figures with 2-12, only slightly ahead of Luke Wharton who managed 2-13.

Neil Cullerton, Ian Bryant and Graham Milbank were the others with the latter also claiming five catches, a club record for an outfield player.

Dunmow Broadcast: Graham Milbank of Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club.Graham Milbank of Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club. (Image: Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club)

With the bat it was Tom Wharton who starred with a little help from Steve Chambers, the pair putting on 68 runs in 12 overs with Chambers hitting six fours in his 30.

Dunmow Broadcast: Steve Chambers of Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club.Steve Chambers of Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club. (Image: Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club)

Wharton though managed 10 boundaries as he remained unbeaten on 69 at the end.

High Roding dropped off the top of the Division Two table with an agonising one-run defeat at home to South Weald.

Vamshi Lingala produced what was ultimately a match-winning performance for the visitors, thumping 140 in 128 balls as South Weald got to 248-5 in their 45 overs.

Archie Halls took 3-35 for Roding with Kit Morley-Jacob claiming 2-37.

Roding's batsmen didn't make the best of starts but 43 from Steve Molloy, 70 by George Halls and a late flourish from Angus Burns (30), Harry Pilcher (33) Josh O’Connor (32*) and Archie Halls (27*) left them needing four from the last ball to draw.

But with fieldsmen all around the boundary they could only get three.

Dunmow meanwhile had a heavy loss in Two Counties Division Two, losing by nine wickets to Kelvedon & Feering.

Luke Swanston's 41 was the best score for them as they were all out for 143, Nicholas Kesingland (29) and Damian Westwood (21) adding some late runs, but the visitors eased to victory in 27 overs.

The seconds meanwhile did beat their Kelvedon counterparts, by 91 runs.

Ieuan Bush (77) and Cameron Gibson (61) put on 132 for the third wicket as Dunmow made 232-5 and 2-12 from Alex Rix helped them restrict the home side to just 141-3.