On the back of 46 runs from opener James Cutt and an unbeaten 35 from Mitchell McRae, Union kept pace with unbeaten leaders Oamaru after round four of North Otago senior cricket on Saturday.
Union defeated Albion by four wickets at King George Park, running past the chase target with 189-6 in the 43rd over, to keep them just one win adrift at the top of the standings.
After Albion posted 187 from 44.4 overs, Union went after their target with composure.
Cutt, North Otago's Hawke Cup coach, and Glynn Cameron put on 46 runs for the first wicket before Cameron was dismissed for 22. Union were able to put together small partnerships in the 30s and 20s as a number of batsmen got starts and preserved their wickets to stay ahead of the run-rate.
When Cutt left the crease, Union were through to 122-4 and in sight of victory, McRae took over the anchor role and guided them home, avenging last season's Borton Cup semi-final loss.
Another all-round performance from Paul O'Dell, scoring 56 with the bat - almost half Albion's runs - and taking 2-41 from nine overs, could not save the Mungas from dropping to fourth behind Waitaki Boy's High School.
Dan Conlon took his first five-wicket bag, claiming 5-36 from 9.4 overs while Phil Crossan took 4-35 for Union. Nigel Moriarty was the only other Albion batsman to notch a decent total, with 22. O'Dell and Moriarty shared a 69-run fifth wicket partnership after Albion's top-order again failed, reeling at 38-4.
WBHS posted their second win and earned Oamaru high school bragging rights with a 113-run win over St Kevin's College at Redcastle Road.
Early on, it looked like WBHS' batting woes, that had seen them score in the 50s the previous two outings, would remain when Glen Paterson was dismissed for 22, leaving them 77-5. But the lower order came through, James McAuslin (28), Chris Ware (39) and Jordan Horrell getting them through to 137-7 before Ware and Isaac Shields (23 not out) help tack on another 50 runs in the tail.
Robbie Smith was the best of the St Kevin's bowlers, with 3-22 from 10 overs, while Peter O'Malley also took a more expensive three wickets and Alex Baddock scalped 2-2 from his one over.
SKC's chase was on the back-foot when opener Ben Cant was dismissed without scoring, captain Robbie Smith provided some resistance, stroking the ball to the boundary. But once he went for 25, leaving SKC at 47-3, the innings was always in trouble, eventually ending at 70.
Nathan Mitchell's 88, including eight fours, was the batting highlight of Oamaru's 84-run win over Valley at Weston Park.
After Oamaru were 31-2, Mitchell shared an 82-run third wicket partnership with Regan George, who scored 27, and a 76-run fifth wicket stand with captain Ben Coleman, with 30, to get them past 200 for the second straight match. North Otago squad member John Blakely took 1-51 from 10 overs in his debut for Valley, who were missing Geoff Mavor and Mark Patterson.

Short Scoreboards Senior
Albion 187 (Paul O'Dell 89, Nigel Moriarty 22, Dan Conlon 5-36, Phil Crossan 4-35) Union 189-6(James Cutt 46, Mitchell McRae 35no, Glynn Cameron 22, Paul O'Dell 2-41). Union win by four wickets
Waitaki Boys High 183-9((Chris Ware 39, James McAuslin 28, Isaac Shields 23no, Glen Paterson 22, Robbie Smith 3-22, Peter O'Malley 3-50, Alex Baddock 2-2) St Kevin's College 70(Robbie Smith 25). WBHS win by 113 runs.
Oamaru 228-5 (Nathan Mitchell 88no, Ben Coleman 30, Regan George 27) Valley 144 (Nick Webster 44, James McNally 20, David Sewell 3-30, Paul Selbie 3-38, Mark Creighton 2-37, Ben Coleman 2-10). Win to Oamaru by 84 runs.

East Otago
Naseby 132-3 (James Pyle 41, Gareth Evans 35, Karl McDiarmid 29, Mark O'Neill 1-11, Shane Vickery 1-19) Macraes 129 (Mark O'Neill 50, Gareth Evans 3-26, Karl McDiarmid 3-17). Naseby win by 7 wickets
Palmerston 192-6 (Rodger Buckingham 51, Lambert 62, Warren Simpson 24, Quentin Smith 4-63, Ben Young 1-23) Gimmerburn 191 (Pete Johnston 68, Geoff Blakely 34, Matt McSkimming 34, Rodger Buckingham 4-46, Warren Simpson 2-30). Palmerston by four wickets.

North Otago Senior Reserve
St Kevin's 2nds 117-7 (T Dwyer 53no, A Lill 21no,R Whyte 2-30, S Guyton 4-52) Albion 116 (L O'Connell 4-27, T Gourlay 3-14). SKC by 3 wickets.
Union 262/5 (Mike Todd 99, Neville Donaldson 50+, Nathan Hill 2-53, Nathan Monachan 2-57) WBHS 2nds 150 (Nathan Hill 54, Shane Tonkin 26, Carl Sinclair 23). Union by 5 wickets.

North Otago Second Grade
Valley 297-8 (J Frew 126no, G Laird 40, R McNally 28, S Fawkes 27) Union 218-7 (Peter Cameron 95, J Bartlett 50, A Fisher 2-16, G Fisher 2-43). Valley by 79 runs.
Albion Blue 202 (J Mallinson 75, M Murphy 63, R Curle 5-53, S Craik 2-32) Oamaru Thomas 154 (A Brooks 30, D Tonkin 28, J Mallinson 3-12, W Kofeod 2-17). Albion Blue by 48 runs.