YORK raced to a seven-wicket victory at Harrogate to set up a top-of-the-table clash with Barnsley at Clifton Park next weekend.

The eight points York claimed at Harrogate on Saturday, coupled with Barnsley's narrow defeat at Sheffield Collegiate, moved them to within two points of the summit in the Oxbridge Yorkshire ECB County Premier League.

Harrogate, who chose to bat first, were given a sound start by openers Adam Patel and Michael Raikes.

But Nick Kay had Patel caught at slip by Stephen Piercy with the score on 38 in the 11th over.

In his next over, Kay sent back Raikes, who was smartly stumped by Nigel Durham.

Nick Thornicroft, who had switched ends, was proving extremely difficult to get away and, at one stage, had a spell of six successive maidens.

At the mid-way stage of their innings, Harrogate had made comparatively slow progress to 66-4.

Ross Sedgley, coming in at number seven, played a fine knock to rescue his side and, with the aid of Hanif Mohammed, 51 runs were added for the eighth wicket.

Harrogate were finally bowled out for 158 in 53 overs, Sedgley unbeaten on 59.

Nick Thornicroft bowled splendidly to take 3-39 in 18 overs and was well supported by Nick Kay, with 4-57.

When York started their reply, they lost Piercy in only the third over of the innings, when the score was on 14.

Simon Mason came in to join Dan Broadbent and they compiled a match-winning stand of 111 runs for the second wicket, in 56 minutes and 16 overs.

Mason was bowled by Dan Craven for 60, a knock which included 13 boundaries.

York lost a third wicket when Duncan Snell was caught at long-on for 13, which left Kay and Broadbent to accumulate the remained 17 runs required for victory.

When Broadbent hit the winning boundary with 30 overs to spare, he was left 64 not out, having struck nine fours and one six.

Next weekend could have an important bearing on the destination of the title, with Barnsley visiting Clifton Park on Saturday, followed by York's home game against Appleby Frodingham the following day. Both matches start at noon.

Meanwhile, Whitby-born Adam Lyth top-scored with 69 off 90 balls as Scarborough beat Cleethorpes by seven wickets.