It’s Miles better from Spalding Town as Jonathan’s five-wicket haul inspires much-needed Grimsby victory

Five wickets from Jonathan Miles and an unbeaten 53 from Faisal Javed earned Spalding Town a vital seven-wicket win over Grimsby Town on Saturday.

Relegation threatened Town jumped off to bottom of the Lincs ECB Premier League by ending their run of four defeats on the spin – consigning Grimsby to the foot in the process.

Despite losing the toss and being forced to bowl, skipper Rob Ambrose saw his side rip through the home batting line-up for just 103 in 30.1 overs.

Spalding then confidently knocked off the runs in just 26.4 overs as they reached 105-3 to claim a 20-point haul.

Losing the toss was no real drama for Town, who struck early with the ball.

Miles bagged home skipper Neal Snell for a duck early on, before Josh Lawrence (2-28) had fellow opener Steven Crossley caught and bowled for 9 to leave them on 10-2.

That soon became 21-4 with Miles dismissing Geoff Middleton (7) and Lawrence snaring Andrew Pearson (3).

Bailey Mawer (7) and Ian Hallam (52 not out) put on 39 for the fifth wicket before Roy Tilley (1-23) removed Mawer to trigger another collapse.

Jack Nilsson (1) was then run out, while Tom Thompson (3) and Cameron Maxwell (0) were clean bowled by Miles to leave Grimsby wobbling on 68-8.

Miles struck again to trap Paul Nilsson LBW for a duck and, although Hallam passed his half-century in a 33-run partnertship with number 11 Saif Ullah (5), Luke Hollingworth (1-7) struck to remove the tail-ender and set Spalding a modest 104 to win.

Any thoughts Town may have had of strolling to victory were ended early on in their reply, with Snell (2-52) dismissing Josh Newton for a 19-ball duck.

Hollingworth then cracked a 13-ball 15 before falling to the home skipper to leave the visitors in a spot of bother on 20-2.

However, a 54-run partnership between opener Javed (53 not out) and Miles (24) really took the pressure off, with the pair scoring at a reasonable rate.

Nilsson (1-35) did eventually bowl Miles to reduce Spalding to 74-3, but Javed and Jordan Butcher (10 not out) guided them to glory in the 27th over.

The victory, Spalding’s third of the season so far, moves them to within four points of safety at the half-way stage of the season.

They host high-flying Woodhall Spa at Spalding Grammar School this Saturday (noon).