Spalding Town are slowly being reeled in by basement side Skegness after latest loss against Woodhall Spa

Spalding Town remain second-from-bottom in the Lincs ECB Premier League after being handed a 46-run home reverse by Woodhall Spa on Saturday.

The visitors won the toss at Seas End Hall and decided to have a bat first, racking up 230-5 from their 50 overs with opener William Wright top scoring on 56.

Spalding, who have now lost nine games on the trot, had a good go in their reply but were ultimately bowled out for 184 in 48.5 overs.

Town picked up five bonus points for their efforts but are now just 35 points ahead of Skegness after the rock-bottom side managed to beat Louth on Saturday.

Woodhall Spa’s innings was a confident one, with no real wobbles and every single batsman used making at least ten runs.

Openers Wright and Sri Lanka star Prasanna Jayawardene (26) started steadily and put on 37 before the latter was run out by Barnaby Dring.

That brought Oliver Caswell to the crease alongside Wright, with the pair adding a partnership of exactly 100 runs.

The duo were watchful and scored relatively slowly, but by the time Josh Lawrence (2-45) had bowled Caswell, the foundations had been laid for a solid score.

Wright passed his half-century but was out soon after, with Lawrence getting his second scalp to leave the score on 151-3.

Gareth Grant (45) and George Pocklington (10) were next at the crease and moved the score on to 194-4 before Nilantha Atapattu (1-45) had the latter out LBW.

Grant was scoring faster than his team-mates and cracked five fours in his 48-ball knock before being run out by Ethan Lawrence. Late fireworks from Tom Caswell (15 not out) and Alex King (10 not out) then pushed the total to a very competitive 230, leaving Town up against it.

Spalding lost key man Jon Manton (6) early as Alfie Lindsey (2-35) struck, but Mitch Freeman (38) and Ollie Dring (32) had a strong partnership before falling to Jayawardene (4-48) and Pocklington (2-18) respectively.

With the top three seen off, the visitors got stuck into Town’s middle order – which did offer some resistance courtesy of Raj Sangha (32), Chris Dring (21) and Brandon Andrews (19).

But, despite stubborn late resistance from Barnabu Dring (13), Spalding were all out for 184.

Next up for them is a trip to third-placed Grantham on Saturday (11.30am).