PLYMOUTH slipped into more trouble at the bottom of the Premier table when they lost by three wickets to visiting North Devon.

Plymouth were all out for 116 in the last of their 50 overs – and lucky to get that far.

Matt Westaway (4-18) roughed them up early and Plymouth were 35 for six when Tom Hughes joined Steve Luffman.

Luffman (53) and Hughes (23) put on 47 for the seventh wicket, which helped give the bowlers something to defend.

Skipper Sam Stein and spinners Fahad Ali and Fazian Riaz all took wickets as Plymouth reduced North Devon to 85 for five – game on.

Devon opener Tom Ansell was still there though and his 37 virtually saw North Devon home.

Ed Yeo (13) and Josh King (14) supported Ansell on the last lap. Ansell went on 115, by which it was too late to change the result.

Plymouth are now 13 points adrift at the bottom of the table with three games to go and 60 points to play for – starting with 20 on offer against second bottom Torquay this Saturday.

Skipper Stein said his side showed the right battling qualities against North Devon, but right now there is no substitute for wins.

“We didn’t score enough runs, which was our downfall,” said Stein.

“North Devon bowled well up front and we lost wickets early

“A good partnership between Steve and Tom helped up scramble 116.

“We bowled and fielded brilliantly and to have them seven down chasing 117 was a good effort.

“I think had we got another 40 runs it would have been very interesting.

“We still have got a lot of hard work to do.

“It is going to go down to the wire, but we need to pick up a win or two.”