CORNWOOD’S relegation worries took a turn for the worse when they suffered an 88-run defeat on the County Ground.

Rob Holman and Alex Barrow both made 70 in an Exeter total of 305 for five.

Corwood got bogged down early – they were 73 for five in the 21^st over – and could not make up lost ground.

Steve Lambert batted through for an unbeaten 72 in Cornwood’s total of 217 for seven.

Defeat leaves Cornwood where they were on Saturday morning, in the Premier Division bottom two, but further away from safety after Plymouth beat Bovey Tracey to give themselves a 19-point cushion.

Cornwood have four games and 80 points to play for so the situation isn’t hopeless. However, they have Exmouth (2^nd) and Heathcoat (4^th) on the next two Saturdays and could be trouble if they lose both of them.

Opener Holman batted through until the last nine overs for his 70, which ended when Craig James bowled him.

The former Devon batsman, put on 49 with Blake Reed, 115 with Barrow, who was second out at 164 to Corns’ skipper Elliot Staddon, and 69 with Miles Lenygon.

Lenygon went on to make 43 and there were more runs to come from Ben Green who clipped a rapid 35 off 21 balls.

Green, who hooks up with England U19s later this week, has just won a new contract with Somerset.

James, Jason Hall and Staddon all bowled at around four an over for Cornwood. Matt Butterworth (2-35) and Jackson Thompson (1-60) were a little more pricey.

Thompson made 42 at the top of the order for Cornwood, taking them to 70 for four.

Ollie Sale (2-36) and Blake Reed (3-15) gave Cornwood’s batsmen little to hit after Alfonso Thomas had bowled four overs for six runs with the new ball.

Lambert went in at 56 for three after Matt Skeemer was caught behind off Sale and stayed there for the next hour and a half.

Support came initially from Luke Richardson – he made 17 in a stand of 39 – and Staddon (19).

Rob Dart went in at seven wickets down with more than 15 overs to go and kept his end intact in an unbroken stand of 77 with Lambert that earned the Corns two batting bonus points.

Losing captain Staddon said the result had to be put in the context of the opposition – Exeter have three Somerset staffers and ex-pro Thomas – and his own side’s issues.

“With the unavailabilities we have had in recent weeks. and people playing with injuries. we gave a superb account of ourselves against a very good Exeter team,” said Staddon.

“It was a quick-scoring game and some good batting by Exeter at the top of their order allowed them to go after us in the last 15 overs.

“We started well with the bat for the first 10 overs then lost quick wickets, which put us up against it chasing a big total.

“Steve Lambert batted superbly in the middle innings for us and another similar score we would have been close.

“It was not a disappointing loss at all, but one we can take confidence from.”