A DERBY victory is usually a cause for great celebration, but Netherfield's joy at a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Kendal on Bank Holiday Monday was tempered by the knowledge they could finish trophy-less this season.

Fleetwood have deposed Tommy Prime's men at the top of the Northern Premier League after winning a match in hand on Saturday, and they still hold a 10-point advantage after both sides won on Monday.

To make matters worse, Netherfield's hopes of reaching the Thwaites Smooth Beer Trophy final were dashed when Leyland and Farington beat them 3-1 in a bowl-out in Sunday's rain-hit semi-final.

All is still not lost but Netherfield know they cannot afford to slip up at home to Leyland and Farington this Saturday and away to Morecambe in their final match.

And they will be hoping that either St Annes or Darwen can do them a favour by beating Fleetwood, who face two away fixtures for their run-in.

When the covers came off on Monday, they revealed a stodgy bowler's wicket soaked by rain seeping under the covers at both ends.

Skipper Tommy Prime faced a difficult decision on winning the toss.

Should he bat first and hope to bowl out Kendal for a maximum 15 points pick-up, or put them in on a difficult wicket with the prospect of knocking off the runs, but with only 12 points for the win?

He chose the latter and the victory was forthcoming - though he will hope there will not be three points in the championship come the day of reckoning.

Both a batsman and a bowler took an early tumble on the muddy wicket, but in the end it did not play too badly and Kendal achieved a respectable score of 146-8, although it must have been 30 runs short of what they would have hoped for off a reduced 40 overs.

Thirty runs had been put on the board before Netherfield broke through, Ikram Ullah steering a shot straight to Dale Benkenstein at gully for 18.

Benkenstein joined the bowling attack after 10 overs and Terry Hunte promptly thrashed him for two successive fours before almost being yorked by Ryan Wilson soon afterwards.

Wilson's reward came when Ahmed Elech was caught by Prime on the cover boundary with the score on 55 and Hunte lived a charmed life afterwards in compiling what proved to be a top-scoring 37 for his side.

After Craig Walmsley dropped him on the boundary, Netherfield missed an easy run-out chance as Hunte slipped and ended stranded on the ground.

Rishi Girdhari chose to shy at the stumps and missed when he could have simply lobbed the ball to Marc Hadwin at the bowler's end.

Leg-spinner Hadwin looked the trickiest of the Netherfield bowlers and he limited the damage two overs later when he got one to stop and lift and Hunte offered Graham Clarke a simple catch.

Two more wickets fell for only 11 runs, Kevin Howarth adjudged leg before to Stuart Nixon and Kabir Khan falling into Hadwin's trap, Clarke's safe hands obliging again - the second of three catches gifted to him.

Skipper David Fallows tried to hit them out of trouble with two sixes and three fours in his 31 but support was running out as Hadwin accounted for Ade Raynor and Stuart Parkin.

Fallows went in the penultimate over. After pulling a huge six out of the ground, he sent up a steepler off Scott Clement for the keeper to take. Kendal still managed a defiant finish with young James Rafferty adding 13 in six balls.

Hadwin claimed 4-23 and a good deal of the credit for containing the Kendal batting.

Hard-hitting Benkenstein dominated Netherfield's innings. After Howarth bowled Walmsley for 30 out of 39 scored, the professional took control. He was dropped by keeper Ullah in his 20s and punished the home team with four sixes and four fours in his unbeaten 75 off 100 balls.

Gareth White went for four but Chris Parry shared a vital stand of 70 with Benkenstein for the second wicket before top-edging a sweep shot to slip for 22.

Netherfield required just six runs to win and, despite a maiden from Howarth, Benkenstein steered them home with two-and-a-half overs to spare.