NORTHOP HALL face their "biggest game of the season" as they entertain Sutton (St Helens) in Liverpool Competition Division Two tomorrow.

That is the opinion of captain Dave Kennedy, who is eager for his side to secure a pivotal victory in their bid for promotion.

Hall are third in the table, 11 points behind Caldy and 17 adrift of leaders Old Xaverians, who are without a game this weekend.

Crucially, Sutton are only 38 points behind Hall and Kennedy knows a win for tomorrow's visitors will not only dent his side's promotion hopes, but boost their rivals.

"It is a big game for us, our biggest game of the season," said Kennedy. "Sutton will be pushing to win and get themselves back in the title race.

"It should be a decent game against a side who are hanging on in there and a side who will see this game as a chance to boost their top two challenge.

"Old Xaverians don't have a game and Caldy face Alder, which you would expect them to win, so we need to do our bit and beat Sutton."

Hall go into tomorrow's fixture on the back of a six-wicket success over Alder, James Hurlin playing a star role with a century and four wickets.

Kennedy said: "It was an excellent win, we played really well.

"Alder were a better side than the last time we played them and we had to work hard to get the points we wanted."

On the impressive Hurlin, who scored 127 from 124 balls after taking 4-39, Kennedy added: "It was the best I've seen James play.

"James and Jac (Kennedy) put on 110 for the first wicket and set a platform for us to chase the 209 Alder scored.

"Hopefully we can keep performing like that for the rest of the season, because I think the promotion race will go right down to the last game."

Jack Billington, Jack Allen and Carwyn Johnson return for Hall, who are without Alex Smith, Jamie Hodgson and Dave Hodgson.

Northop Hall Under-18s are closing in on some silverware after beating Chester Boughton Hall to reach the Cheshire Cup final.

Having posted 141, Billington prevented Chester Boughton Hall from scoring the 12 needed for victory off the final over to set up a final clash with Grappenhall.

Kennedy said: "It was a fantastic win. Boughton Hall are packed with Cheshire players and we've got a team full of 16-year-olds apart from Josh Andrady."

In Shropshire League Division Three, struggling Overton make their way to Prees.