Spa day goes wrong as Spalding Town are knocked off the summit

Spalding Town suffered their first defeat of the South Lincs and Border League season on Saturday – and lost their grip on top spot as a result.

After stand-in skipper Joe Broomfield won the toss and elected to bat first at Woodhall Spa 2nd, Town were bowled out for just 126 in 44 overs.

That allowed the home side to breeze to a five-wicket victory in 28.1 overs, leaving Town second in the standings.

Batting first at Jubilee Park, Spalding reached ten before opener Jon Manton was dismissed by James White for (2-26) for just four.

They added just one more run by the time White got rid of Broomfield (1), then found themselves in dire straits at 27-4 when Connor Parsons (3-37) snared both Warren Nel (17) and Ben Smith (0) in quick succession.

Jonathan Miles (53) and Josh Lawrence (6) took the score to 49 before the latter was bowled by Matthew Haslam (1-19).

Next to go was Chris Dring for a seven-ball duck, caught and bowled by Parsons.

With carnage going on around him, Miles did superbly well to fire eight fours in his 60-ball 53 before eventually becoming Peter Jackson’s (3-10) first victim.

Miles went with 97 on the scoreboard and three wickets in hand. Brandon Andrews (8), Rob Ambrose (7), Jack Barratt (4) and Roy Tilley (12no) did their best to set a reasonable target, but they Jackson and Tom Dixon (1-8) eventually did for them.

Town struck early with the ball as Andrews (1-23) removed Sam Cherry (8) with the score on 13.

But they were never able to bog Spa down, with opener Matthew Sargeant (37) looking assured at the crease.

Dixon (17) was snared by Tilley and Alex Hodson (5) was run out by Nel to make it 62-3, but the hosts were still eating away at their target.

Sargeant finally went to Nel and Miles trapped Jack Hughes (5) LBW to put the hosts in a mild spot of bother on 76-5, but an unbroken 51 partnership from Danny Wells (25no) and Parsons (24no) eased the hosts home.

This Saturday sees Town – who are now one point off the top – welcome third-placed Freiston to Spalding Grammar School (1pm).

•  Youthful Spalding Town 3rd were edged out by Uffington in a South Lincs and Border League Division Two cracker on Saturday.

A fine 103 from Uffington’s Guy Gunningham inspired the visitors to 224-9 at Spalding Grammar School, although Macey Andrews (3-63) and Jack Sawyer (3-43) did impress with the ball.

Spalding replied valiantly, led by the in-form Carl Andrews.

A week after his huge century, the skipper added an impressive 92 as his side almost pulled off a fine run chase.

Peter Cook (20), Sawyer (21), Nigel Gardner (28) and Harry Birch (15) all scored well, but Town fell 17 runs short.

Spalding 3rd visit Boston 3rd this Saturday (1pm).