KEIGHLEY Cricket Club have just five games to save themselves from a second relegation in three years in the Gordon Rigg Bradford Premier League.

They are in the Division Two drop zone, having missed the chance to move out of the bottom two on Saturday.

The Lawkholme Laners played relatively well against their second-placed visitors Gomersal, but still fell to a 24-run defeat.

They did at least close the gap to Northowram Fields and safety to only four points, with their fellow strugglers losing heavily against leaders Crossflatts.

Gomersal batted first on Saturday and made a bright start, their opening pair putting on 72 together.

But star spinner Daanyaal Ahmed eventually removed all of the top three on his way to fine figures of 3-58 from 15 overs.

Dillon Birkett also stood out, ripping out a trio of dangerous middle order players in taking 3-45 off eight overs.

Ijaz Ahmed then chipped in with two late wickets, restricting Gomersal to a chaseable 238-9 at the end of their innings.

Ryan Ridehalgh came in at the fall of the first Keighley wicket and made a rapid 41, helping to guide his side to 73-1.

But his dismissal brought the start of a collapse that saw them slump to 106-6, their hopes of victory in tatters.

But no-one told Lucas Keslinke or Ijaz Ahmed that, as they put on 61 together.

After Ahmed was dismissed for 43 to leave Keighley on 167-7, Keslinke ploughed on, as Birkett dug in at the other end.

The latter only made four runs, but he put on 43 with Keslinke for the eighth wicket before being dismissed with three and a half overs to go.

Keighley still needed 25 to win at that stage, but their last two wickets fell quickly, including Keslinke for 62, as the hosts lost their 11th league game of the season to remain deep in peril.