IPPLEPEN are off the top of the B Division table following a four-wicket defeat by visiting Seaton.
Pens made 163 all out in the 41st of their 42 overs, which wasn’t enough to delay Seaton unduly.
The runs were knocked off with almost four overs to spare, Joel Seward leading the run chase with 62.
Pens have dropped to second a point behind Bideford and will want to avoid further harm to their promotion prospects this weekend when they host Shobrooke.
Shobrooke are third in the latest table, three points behind Ipplepen, having win at Ottery last time out.
Ipplepen had one of those days when plenty of batsmen got in – Jack Lewis, Dave Harris and Sam deFriend all made 31 – but no one went on to a big score.
Having been 140 for five they lost their last five wickets for 23 runs as man of the match Seward ran through the lower order.
Tim Mitchell (4-54) did the softening up, then Seward (4-18) knocked over the stragglers.
Seaton opener Matt Hewer dropped anchor after seeing Steve Pritchard and Brian Cann go cheaply to Will Gornall (3-55) and carried his bat for an unbeaten 33.
Hewer and Seward put on 99 for the third wicket to break the back of the chase.
Pens had their moments – Abbott bagged Seward and Josh Cann in the space of three balls – but Ben Morgan (15) and Ben Goodier-Gibson (17no) supported Hewer to get Seaton over the line.
Pens’ captain Sam Wakeham said the Seaton spinners posed a problem his batters struggled to come with.
“They tied us up in the middle overs and picked up wickets regularly,” said Wakeham.
“Had we bowled as we have done in previous weeks that would have been enough to win the game.
“We bowled too many extras and in very inconsistent areas.
“The loss has brought us back down to earth a bit and we have realised there is still lots of areas we need to improve on.
“Hopefully we can bounce back against Shobrooke and resume our good form.”
Winning captain Morgan said a 25-minute break for rain allowed his team to regroup after they had been below their best early on.
“We bowled too many loose balls and too many wides and they were going well,” said Morgan.
“After the delay we came out a different side!
“Tim Mitchell and myself built a bit of pressure then Joel bowled in the right areas and took four wickets.
“We lost a couple of wickets early on but Matt and Joel built a steady platform which helped us and we knocked off the runs!
“This was a big win for us and I hope our lads will get a bit of confidence and belief to take to Tavistock this Saturday.”
