Ballymena Seconds stayed in contention at the top of the Division Two Section One table with a hard fought and entertaining six runs victory over Muckamore Seconds at Eaton Park on Saturday.

Those watching certainly got full value for their money with 506 runs scored on another glorious day at the Raceview Road venue, with the visitors falling just short of their victory target of 257.

Richard White and James Carmichael led the way for the home side as they put on 117 for the first wicket in 29 overs, the latter scoring 64 in an innings that included 12 boundaries.

White was joined by Stephen Colgan and they added a further 122 before Colgan was unfortunately run out for 45 after hitting four fours and one six.

White was just eight runs short of a well deserved century when he was caught and bowled by Gary Nicholl with just nine balls left of the home side's innings. He struck nine boundaries.

It was always going to be a tough ask for Muckamore and that task became harder when Jack Gibson removed both openers in a top spell to leave them six for two.

That brought together captain Alan Quigley (69) and Sunny Stephenson (77) who got their side right back into the game with a wonderful partnership of 165.

But both went in quick succession and requiring 70 from the last ten overs with new batsmen at the crease, Muckamore were always just behind the asking rate, mainly due to an excellent spell of bowling from Paul Black, whose seven overs from the town end brought him four wickets at a cost of just 20 runs.

With 26 needed from two overs, Black's final six balls went for just five, and despite a six from the fourth ball of Matt Purse's final over, Muckamore fell six runs short.

That's four wins from six games in the league so far this season for Neil Fullerton's side with high-flying North Down II coming to Eaton Park next week for a top-of-the-table clash.

Ballymena II 256 for 4 (R White 92, J Carmichael 64, S Colgan 45)

Muckamore II 250 for 9 (S Stephenson 77, A Quigley 69, P Black 4/20)