TWO second-half goals ended Gresley's mini-revival and Scarborough were only denied a more emphatic win by the excellence of Mats Morch.
It might have been different had John Guy's fourth-minute effort not rebounded out off the underside of the bar.
At the other end, keeper Morch, on loan from Derby County, produced a string of fine saves to deny Ryan Williams, Grant Ryan and Jordan Thewlis.
But there was little he could do to keep out Andrew Milne's 57th-minute header.
Gresley almost levelled when Kieran O'Connell's shot hit the inside of the post before rebounding straight into the hands of keeper Jason White.
Morch reacted quickly to save Ryan Blott's close-range effort – but the visitors sealed the win in the 75th minute, Thewlis capitalising on a slip from Jamie Barrett to score via the far post.
GRESLEY: Morch, Roome, Guy (Guest, 86), Barrett, Hanson, Graves, Lyons (Harrison, 57), O'Connell, Steadman, Makofo, Piliero (Turville, 67). Other subs: Wells, Grice.
SCARBOROUGH ATHLETIC: White, Plummer, Ridley, Milne, Foot (Middleton, 45), Beadle (Sheppard, 76), Thewlis, Ryan, Blott (Atkinson, 86), Bradshaw, Williams.
REFEREE: C Taylor (Wednesbury).
ATTENDANCE: 306.
BURTON RFC secured home advantage for their promotion play-off against Derby with victory in their final game of the Midlands One West campaign.
The Crofters claimed a convincing 60-0 win at Barkers Butts on Saturday.
That result meant runners-up Burton overtook the points total of Midlands One East counterparts Derby.
The two sides will go head-to-head for a place in National League Three Midlands at Peel Croft on Saturday (3pm).
Burton were soon on the attack at Barkers Butts and they took the lead with a try from Dewi Williams after 10 minutes.
A beautiful piece of play, starting on the right wing led to the visitors' next try on the left wing, scored by Sam Benjamin and converted by Darryl Banton.
The Crofters were dominating in the scrum and after they won one against the head, it resulted in a try for Jono Parkinson.
Burton's next score came after 35 minutes.
A breakaway from Lawrence Betty and a fine inside pass to Benjamin set up the backs to hand it to Williams, who went in under the posts.
Banton converted.
Then, after a good catch from Harry Titley and a storming run up the right wing, Benjamin crossed for his second try of the match.
Banton's conversion made it 31-0 at the interval.
Benjamin completed his hat-trick after 58 minutes following a breakaway by Will Roach, with Banton again adding the extras.
After Betty was forced off due to injury, Benjamin set up Ian Gilmour for another converted score.
Benjamin was not done there and proceeded to run in another three tries to take his tally to six for the day and round off a comprehensive victory.
Midlands 1 West: Barkers Butts 0, Burton 60; Malvern 26, Berkswell & Balsall 31.
Midlands 2 East (North): Ashbourne 20, Melbourne 19.
Midlands 4 East (North): Nottinghamians 7, Long Eaton 62; Tupton v Leesbrook, home walkover.
THEY went through the whole of last season unbeaten to win the Beechwood Derbyshire Premier League title but Swarkestone's defence opened with a home defeat to close rivals Ticknall on Saturday.
Ryan Cowley launched a big six over long on to wrap it up in style for Ticknall, who won by three wickets with one ball to spare in an enthralling low-scoring game on a typically tricky early season wicket.
They had restricted Swarkestone to 156-9, particularly thanks to a marvellous return of 3-34 from 15 overs by Derbyshire prospect Tommy Taylor.
The result sends out a number of messages. No-one really felt Swarkestone were unbeatable; cricket is way too complicated to say that and they came close to losing a time or two last season.
But someone had to prove it could be done and, in doing it, Ticknall, second last year, have set the bar very high for themselves very early.
It was a wonderful start for their new captain, Scott Chilman, who has spent the majority of his 12 years of senior cricket at this level. He is one of the game's real thinkers and knows all eyes will be on them now.
"It's a tricky one," he said. "Everyone's going to say we should be there or thereabouts after that – well, we do have high expectations.
"We've finished fourth, fourth and second and we want to be champions – or at least closer to the champions than we were last time.
"That was a hell of a game of cricket – both sides played well.
"Swarkestone will feel they were 20 runs short but they made it so hard for us.
"Tommy Taylor bowled beautifully for us. I think he's added a yard of pace and we're looking forward to having a full season with him in the side."
Taylor can still only bowl seven-over spells because of his age but his first put Swarkestone on the back foot and each time he returned they were pegged back further.
It was going wrong for the champions from the second ball, when captain Jamie Guthrie, in such wonderful form last season, was leg before to Taylor.
That a player as fluent as Garry Park spent 63 balls over nine runs is an indication of how tricky conditions were for batsmen as well as how well Ticknall bowled.
A patient stand of 62 between Chris Durham and Jake Needham promised better for Swarkestone and when Needham went for 34, Durham added 45 more with Alex Hughes.
But when the pair were out in quick succession, the innings fell away, a couple of run outs not helping the cause.
It was the sort of target which puts the chasing team in two minds. If you're chasing 300, you're either going for it or playing for the draw: no real halfway house.
Chasing half of that, you know you should get it but, in the back of your mind, you wonder what stopped the other team getting more.
At 24-3, Ticknall's batsmen had seen the conditions for themselves, Paul Borrington, in particular, getting one that stopped on him to chip a catch.
Someone had to chance their arm and it was Eddie Ikin, with a forthright 43 from 42 balls, including seven fours and a six, who turned the game Ticknall's way.
There was still much to do when he was leg before to Tom Knight at 92, having added 68 with Zain Abbas and when Rupert Scott-Jones and Abbas were both out with the score on 118-6, Swarkestone scented victory.
However, Taylor, who gives the impression of being nerveless, and Cowley played with great common sense from there, pushing ones mostly, and they needed only three when Taylor was needlessly run out, backing up too far when there was never a run in prospect.
No matter, Cowley opened his shoulders and Ticknall were home and dry.
