IT WAS a weekend of mixed fortunes for Chorley.

They lost by four runs to Preston in a tense finish to Saturday's Northern Premier League match at South Meadow Lane, but bounced back in fine style to trounce Barrow by 119 runs at Windsor Park in the Thwaites Cup on Sunday.

A fourth- wicket stand of 102 between debutant Sam Seadon (47) and pro Raouf Akbar (62) was the centrepiece of Preston's challenging 197-7.

Chorley pro Stephen John took 3-43 and then helped to drag the visitors' reply out of trouble at 51-4 in a stand of 87 with Ian Oakes, who hit a career-best 64, John contributing 26.

Chorley then subsided again to 157-8 before an unlikely rescue-act by Grav Dhar and Billy Smith (28 not out) put them in sight of victory at 189, only for the last two wickets to fall for just four runs as the Windsor Park men finished tantalisingly five short of victory on 193.

Preston earned 15 points to Chorley's six.

Sunday's stunning cup victory took Chorley to the top of the group table.

Neil Senior hit 39 and Nicky Woods 32 in the home side's total of 158 and any doubts that it might not be enough were quickly removed as visitors Barrow hit immediate trouble and slumped rapidly to 17-6.

A stand of 16 for the seventh wicket briefly delayed Chorley before the last four wickets went down for six runs to leave Barrow all out for just 39.

For Chorley, spinner Grav Dhar picked up 3-13 and Tom Smith 3-14.