FILLEIGH clambered further away from the B Division danger zone when they won by two wickets away to promotion hopefuls Ipplepen.
Opener Jack Lewis struck 73 as Ipplepen made 193 for eight in a game reduced to 34 overs each.
Lewis was the anchorman the rest batted round. By the time he was fifth out the score was 167 and there had been useful stand of 65 with Mawgan Penrice (23), 44 with Dave Harris and 43 more with skipper Sam Wakeham (42).
Wickets and economy proved elusive on a damp surface. Connor Nash (1-33) and Justin Saker (2-29) put in the best seven-over stints.
Filleigh were glad of Harley Ashdown (33) holding the early order together after Jonny Norman (4-38) posed some problems.
Ashdown was fifth out at 105 – a key knock as things turned out.
Skipper Simon Prideaux (22) came and went and at 123 for six the game was in the balance.
James Hill’s unbeaten 49, backed up by 12 from Nash in a stand of 55 for the seventh wicket, got Filleigh on the right track again and they went on to win in the last over.
Victory puts 16 points between Filleigh and the drop spots with out-of-form Seaton to play this Saturday at Deer Park.
Skipper Prideaux is becoming increasingly confident his newly promoted side won’t be one-season wonders.
“Winning at Ipplepen was a great result for us and a fantastic team performance,” said Prideaux.
“Staying up was the target this year and at the minute it’s in our hands.
“We will now be able to put out a more settled side for the last six games, and playing 4 of the games at home is an advantage we can hopefully put to good use.
“Four of the games are against teams around us so it’s important to do everything we can to win those.”
Losing skipper Sam Wakeham said: “Credit to Filleigh as they batted very well and deserved to win the game.
“ We need to cut down on extras as bowling 25 wides is unacceptable and will loose you more games than not.
“Our total of 193 was a competitive score in 34 overs and had we bowled well it would have been a winning one.”
Looking back on the game, skipper Wakeham felt it was one that got away.
“We were very inconsistent when we bowled and even though we had Filleigh three down for not a lot we never looked in control of the game,” said Wakeham.
“Going into the last 10 Filleigh needed just below 10 an over.
“We picked up a couple of wickets but that introduced Hill who hit the ball very clean and far.
“With 16 off two overs two big hits of a Keith Wakeham over left them three from the last.”
