THE Eleven’s hopes of survival in the top flight took a blow at the weekend with a home defeat to Carlton.

Victory for fellow strugglers Heriots FP over Uddingston leaves West’s top team fifteen points adrift at the bottom of the SNCL with three games to go.

But, with the bottom two due to face each other at Hamilton Crescent on the last day of the season,  skipper Gregg Watson is determined to fight all the way.

He insisted: “We have to give it everything all the way to the end. The lads know the situation we are in and we will give it all we have to stay up.”

Batting first West posted 138 with Ian Young top scoring with 42 and Tim McKay chipping in with 39.

However, the total was always going to be a tough one to defend against the team who knocked The Eleven out of the Scottish Cup last weekend.

Cedric English hit a solid 61 and was ably supported by former West star Stevie Gilmour who saw the visitors home with 38 not out.

Heroits clocked up their first win of the season after dismissing Uddingston for 128 and chasing it down for the loss of three wickets.

Opener Stevie Knox top scored for the home side with 65 not out and made sure of the 12 points.

Heroits have two home games against Clydesdale and Carlton before the final day clash at Hamilton Crescent.

Skipper Watson said: “There is no doubt that we are in a tough spot but we have to believe that we can get out of it.

“There are still a lot of points to fight for. We need to make sure we are in a decent position come the Heriots game.

“There have been moments of good cricket but just not enough. The talent is there and we need to come together and show we have the fight to stay up.”

The Partick XI’s poor run of form continued at the weekend with defeat away to Kelburne.

Having won the toss the visitors took to the field and restricted Kelburne to 200-9. But, familiar frailties in the 2^nd’s batting line up hampered the chase. Captain Graeme Burgess (39) and Chris Tulloch (20) were top scorers in 2’s reply of 137 all out.

The result leaves the Partick XI third bottom of the Western District just above the relegation zone.

Burgess said: “Our form is not good and needs to change quickly. We have been too inconsistant all season.”

The Kelburne defeat came on the back of a loss at home to GHK.

After being put into bat the 2nds clocked up 158 all out, and included a top scoring knock of 66 from skipper Burgess.

Again though failure with the bat was to prove the side’s undoing.

The visitors chased down their target with the loss of five wickets.

Burgess added: “The league table does not make pleasant reading at the moment and we need to knuckle down if we are to keep clear of relegation.

“The fact is that we are right in the middle of it at the moment and everyone needs to realise there is still a lot of work to be done.

“We have shown in spells this season we can play decent cricket. But, we have to be far more consistent and battle for all 100 overs.

“Nobody wants to be relegated so it is time for us to come out fighting.”

Despite the disappointment of losing the Strathclyde Shield Final the Hamilton Crescent XI have come back with an impressive two wins in two games.

The first came at home to Glasgow University Staff, who have proved tricky opponents in the past of the 3’s.

Having won the toss the visitors decided to bat in cloudy conditions which proved to be helpful for the seam attack of Michael Greenhorn and Luke Moreland.

GU Staff were never able to get away thanks to tight bowling and a solid performance in the field.

Greenhorn returned figures of 3-26 from his seven overs, while fellow opener Moreland bowled a mean spell, conceding just four runs from his six overs.

Vice-skipper Craig Brown chipped in with 2-10 from eight overs and veteran John Cameron, making his debut for the 3’s this season, posted 3-21 from his spell.

GU Staff were eventually dismissed for 104 in the 38th over.

The run chase did not get off to a good start, with West stumbling to 22-3.

Skipper Graham McKendry and Duncan Sutherland steadied the ship taking the score onto 62-3.

In the end solid knocks from McKendry (56 not out), Sutherland (20) and Singh (12) was enough for victory.

Next up for the Hamilton Crescent XI was an away clash with Paisley who had defeated them earlier in the season.

In trying conditions West won the toss and decided to bat. Openers Duncan Sutherland and Tony Lewis made the most of the decent weather early on. Lewis smashed a quick fire 33 before being run out, while Sutherland continued his decent form compliling a hard fought 62. Young keeper Alfie Lloyd (20) helped push the score on at the end, giving the visitors 184-9 to defend.

With a couple of big hitters in the side Paisley looked they were up for the chase. In the end intelligent bowling from Michael Greenhorn (4-38) and Luke Moreland (2- 25) ensured Paisley were dismissed for 85.

Captain McKendry smiled: “The two wins have been great for us and at least we now have some points on the board.

“We have suffered more than most this season with a lack of cricket due to the weather and for other reasons.

“The most pleasing aspect has been the fact that over the two games just about everyone has contributed to the wins.

“We only have three games left and if we continue the form we have shown recently we are going to be hard to beat.

“The attitude and team spirit has been great particularly in the Paisley game where heads could have gone down. But, everyone stuck at it and we got what we deserved.”