TORQUAY’S Premier Division survival remains in the balance after they lost by six-wickets to Exeter.

Skipper Justin Yau followed his century against North Devon with a top score of 51 in Torquay’s total of 210 for nine.

It never looked enough though and with Alex Barrow making a top score of 75 Exeter romped him with nearly nine overs to spare.

Torquay are 17 points clear of the second relegation place with three games to go – Exmouth (A), Sidmouth (H) and Cornwood (A).

Cornwood currently occupy the second relegation slot and Torquay won’t want to be any closer to them on the last day of the season than they are now.

This time last year when Torquay were closing in on a first Premier title since 1997, worries about relegation would have been unthinkable.

There are precedents though for being relegated the year after winning the title, as Sidmouth (1989) and Bovey Tracey (2003) can attest.

Ollie Sale (2-35) accounted or both Torquay openers, but a stand of 94 between Yau and Sach Galhenage (45) moved the score along to 120 for three.

Yau went first, lbw to Rob Holman’s off-spin, followed by Galhnenage seven runs later.

George Allen’s 22 off 24 balls was the best of the rest from the Torquay middle order, who struggled against Holman (3-31), Alfonso Thomas (2-34) and Blake Reed (2-27).

Thirty-eight off the last 10 overs was very much below par for the conditions – as Exeter amply demonstrated.

Holman (29) and Reed (38) made a 64-run dent in the deficit, then Barrow and skipper Miles Leyngon (13) clocked up another 47.

Any hopes Torquay may have harboured of winning the game were snuffed out while Barrow and Thomas were putting on 76 for the fourth wicket.

Barrow fell to a top catch by Joe Thompson off Nick Watkin, but Thomas batted on for an unbeaten 48 to win the game.

Pugh (2-23) was the only Torquay bowler to have much success.

There were no complaints from Torquay skipper Yau, other than over his own side’s shortcomings.

“It was a tough game against a very good side,” said Yau.

“We have struggled in the opening 10 overs with bat and ball and once again our problems resurfaced.

“It's frustrating as we have identified it as an area to work on yet we keep making the same mistakes.

“We looked like scoring 250+ at one stage but threw wickets away and then bowled with very little discipline.

“You cannot take anything away from Exeter who are an excellent side and proved that.”