ARBROATH shrugged off the absence of four key players to maintain their Eastern Premier title push with victory over Falkland at Lochlands.

The hosts were without brothers Calvin and Fraser Burnett and had two of their best teenagers on Scotland Under-19 duty, but won by two wickets.

Falkland, off to Cheshire today to face Hawk Green in the Village Cup, had their own significant absentee in Scotland T20 star Safyaan Sharif and the Fifers were dismissed for 82 as Craig Ramsay, the division's leading wicket-taker, added another four to his tally.

Falkland fought back to claim eight home wickets but Craig Cameron top-scored with 20 as Arbroath edged home.

Carlton also demonstrated their strength in depth to stay in touch at the top with a comfortable derby win over Heriot's at Grange Loan.

They had Preston Mommsen and Ali Evans on international duty while in-form Fraser Watts was working as an analyst on Sky Sports' coverage of Scotland's T20 qualifying match against Holland.

Missing, too, was national Under-19 coach Gordon Drummond - whose side launched their World Cup qualifying bid with a 99-run victory over the Netherlands in Jersey - but that didn't stop Carlton amassing 309-4, with Rory McCann hitting 112no and Hamish Gardiner 110.

Heriot's never looked like mounting a successful chase and could muster just 79 as the home bowlers dominated.

Leaders Grange won by five wickets against Corstorphine at Barnton. Captain Andrew Brock took four wickets as Corstorphine were bundled out for 114 and adding 27no after Ryan Flannigan put the visitors on course with 41.

Aberdeenshire were 75-run winners over Watsonians at Mannofield while Forfarshire secured a 55-run success at Stoneywood-Dyce.

Majid Haq produced a scintillating spell of spin as Western Union leaders Clydesdale recovered from being dismissed for 102 against Drumpellier

at Langloan.

His astonishing figures of seven wickets for 10 runs from 14 overs - the best bowling performance in the Union this season - aided by Mo Ali's 3-8, saw Drumpellier routed for only 39.

Closest challengers Kelburne went down by five wickets at Dumfries. They rallied from 89-7 to reach 162 but their hosts produced a controlled run chase.

East Kilbride's clash with West of Scotland at Hamilton Crescent was abandoned due to rain six overs short of an official contest. Ross Lyons had hit 123, including an astonishing 10 maximums, to help the visitors post

283-8. West were on 57-3.