PLYMSTOCK skipper Scott Mansfield hopes his side has turned a corner at last after they beat Plympton by 35 runs.
It was only the second win of the season for Plymstock and not enough to move them off the bottom of the table yet.
But defeats for fellow strugglers Brixham and Ivybridge mean Plymstock are only nine points from safety – and they have their tails up.
Mansfield said defending a total of 180 for nine by bowling out Plympton has given everyone a lift.
“We started to look like the side that won promotion last year,” said Mansfield.
“Plympton bowled well up top – Hakeem Abdullah (3-26) was a real handful – and after we lost the top six we had to apply ourselves.
“I got a few, Seb Jordan backed me up in his last game before moving away to work and we set a total.
“Bowling-wise we took wickets at the right times and didn’t let them settle.
“It was a hard game to win and the way we won it will have built confidence for the tough games coming up.”
Mansfield played down his own role, which in reality was sizeable.
Plymstock were 39 for six when Charles Martin was bowled by Jamie Lee for a 10-ball duck.
Mansfield and Jordan (22) put on 72 to get Plymstock going, only for Alex Carr (2-32) to slow them down again.
Last man Ian Whalley hung around with his captain to post another 50 unbroken for the final wicket.
Mansfield finished on 81 not out and Whalley was unbeaten on 16.
When opener Andy Walter (47) was second out on 77, Plympton were looking good.
Spin proved Plympton’s undoing s Whalley (4-36) and Martin (2-15) posed all the problems for the middle order.
James Degg (28) resisted for a while, as did Justin Wubbeling (25), but it wasn’t enough.
Plympton’s last five wickets went for 24 runs as they slipped to 145 all out – paceman Bronte Bess (2-11) helping them on their way.
Craig Donohue, the Plympton captain, struggled to hide his disappointment at the manner of the defeat.
“It was a game that we feel we let get away,” said Donohue.
“Given the start we had it was a disappointing result.
“Hakeem bowled a good spell up-front and put us in a really strong position.
“Andy Walter and and James Degg put us in a good position. However we lost wickets in bunches and fell short in the end.”
Donohue said it wasn’t all gloom and doom through.
“There was some positives,” said Donohue.
“Jamie Lee was back in the side and bowled well first game back.
“Hakeem’s spell up top was very good and he is a real handful for opposing batters.
“Congratulations to Plymstock; we move on to next week looking to be better.”
