Having gathered only 20 points from their first eight matches they have now raised their tally to 44 and the prospect of relegation looks much less threatening than it did only two weeks ago.

At the bottom of Division Three they are only six points behind Forest Hall and a further six behind Whitley and Monkseaton on whom they have a game in hand.

With three teams to be relegated there will be much to play for in the remaining weeks of the season.

At the top of this division Percy are beginning to look hot favourites for promotion, their ninth victory from ten matches having taken them 27 points clear.

In the Clegg League, Collingwood continue to impress following their promotion to Division One, their home form having established them securely in mid-table.

The worry is that they have yet to win elsewhere and four away matches have yielded them only seven points.

In Division Two Percy's form is in contrast to their Knight League performances and after an impressive start to the season which saw them winning four of their first five matches, they have lost their last five to drop to sixth place only eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Tynemouth, chasing league leaders Rothbury in Division Three, gave themselves a boost last week by picking up ten points at Morpeth while their rivals were convincingly beaten at Newbiggin in one of the surprise results of the season.

Only two points now separate these clubs and curiously it is Tynemouth's home form which has been their stumbling block.

They have failed to win any of their last four games on their own green but are unbeaten away from home – an unusual situation in bowls.

In Division Four Wallsend hung on to second place despite their second single-shot defeat of the season at North Shields West End, who stay fourth and very much in the promotion picture.

Souter are beginning to look doomed in Division Five while in the bottom division Hirst Park have a seemingly unassailable lead of an astonishing 43 points over Chirton, whose consistent recent form will see them promoted if they can maintain it for a few more weeks.