Watton United's sudden withdrawal from the Jewson League Premier Division may have thrown Harwich and Parkeston a relegation lifeline.

The Shrimpers, and fellow strugglers Felixstowe Port and Town, are propping up the division, but the battle to avoid the drop could now be taken out of their hands.

With Watton's departure and leaders Histon on course for promotion to the Dr Marten's League, their place in the premier division could be safe.

The Jewson League's fixtures secretary Graham Chell said: "A letter was received yesterday from Watton confirming their withdrawal from the league.

"Any decision as to the relegation situation and points from Watton's games will have to be decided by the management committee."

A committee meeting is scheduled for next Monday.

Shrimpers manager Tony Hall said: "We have to wait and see what the management committee decide. But if it is two clubs out and two clubs up then the clubs at the bottom are going to get a reprieve.

"It's not what we want but we will take it. We don't want to finish as the bottom club and we can't rely on the committee decision going in our favour.

"At the end of the day we have to try and win our remaining games."

Watton, with four games remaining, withdrew from the league on Tuesday, making a severance payment of £500.

The club had been in dispute with the league over the power of their floodlights.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.