HALSTEAD maintained their pressure on early Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship leaders Worlington after a six-wicket success at Frinton.

It was their third victory of the season and kept them on the coattails of the Suffolk pacesetters, who won by 142 runs at Wivenhoe.

Hosts Frinton batted first in Saturday's first division contest at Ashlyns Road and made 162 for nine, largely thanks to 66 from skipper Sam Byrnes.

Halstead then reached their target with six wickets in hand, following another instrumental innings from captain Josh Wells (76 not out).

Over at Wivenhoe, the hosts were suffering a heavy defeat after being dismissed for 119 by Worlington.

They had earlier been set a target of 262 by the Suffolk side.

Witham suffered their first defeat of the season after being dismissed for 167 and losing by seven wickets at Woolpit.

This was despite a battling half-century from James Suett.

Two more Essex sides met at Vicarage Meadow as Elmstead endured a 20-run defeat against Maldon.

The visitors batted first and made 193 for five, thanks to half-centuries from Matt Wild and Ian Elliott.

They then restricted Elmstead to 173 for seven, with Ryan Vickery clubbing 76.

George Hanham's 54 was the key contribution in Coggeshall's four-wicket victory at home to Ipswich but Mistley went down by 41 runs at Hadleigh.

Bruce Leeke (three for 27 in ten overs) and captain Daniel Goff (68) were the stand-out performers for the Swans.

Braintree notched an important victory in division two, winning by 37 runs against the side directly below them in the table - Lakenheath.

It kept up the pressure on leaders Haverhill, who were too strong for Clacton, winning by 82 runs.

Daniel Chalk's century set Braintree on the road to victory before four wickets for Barry Stephens restricted Lakenheath to 207 for nine, chasing 245.

Harlan Greig made 45 for Clacton but his side were all out for 136 at Haverhill, in pursuit of 219.

Two more Essex sides met at Copford, where the hosts suffered a 101-run defeat against Little Bardfield Village.

Bardfield batted first and made 182, before dismissing Copford for 81.

Kelvedon and Feering could only make 129 in their 69-run defeat at home to Mildenhall seconds, although Josh Parsons was unfortunate to finish on the losing side after returning bowling figures of five for 41.

East Bergholt were also out for a low score, 136, in their five-wicket defeat at Sudbury seconds.