CLIFTON Alliance CC would like greater contributions from their lower order as they look for better consistency in the Yorkshire Premier League North.

The Clifton Park outfit are, however, largely pleased with their start to this campaign, sitting in seventh spot with their strengthened side showing improvements from last year.

Tomorrow they travel to eighth-placed Castleford who sprung a surprise last week by beating high-fliers Sheriff Hutton Bridge by six runs on the same day Alliance fell 129 runs short at home to Woodhouse Grange.

Club secretary Bill Roddam said: “We’re reasonably happy, although there have been a couple of games where didn’t play as well as we would have liked.

“We could probably play more consistently.

“I think it is a competitive league where, with a couple of good results, you can go up to fourth place but with a couple of bad ones, you’re looking over your shoulder again.

“Woodhouse Grange are obviously a good side. We didn’t bat very well though. 261 is a challenging target but we got started well, just the players further down didn’t capitalise on that.

“We need more contributions from other batsmen – the top three have done really well but we need more from the lower order.

“We expect a tough game at Castleford. They’re a strong side with (ex-Yorkshire spinner) David Wainwright, and (spinner) Eddie Morrison, who’s done well.

“They beat Sheriff Hutton Bridge, so they’re obviously a capable side. We’ll be looking for a good result but we expect a tough game.”

Woodhouse Grange host fifth-placed Yorkshire Academy tomorrow, Sheriff Hutton Bridge visit bottom side Acomb and Sessay travel to Stamford Bridge.