Dan Wolf - in the runs for Paignton

TORQUAY soon put their defeat by Paignton behind them by administering a six-wicket defeat on Chudleigh.

Alex Haywood (31) was one of only two batsmen to reach double figures – Rob Clarke (13) was the other – in Chudleigh’s meagre tally of 76 all out.

They will be calling Mitch Pugh (5-23) the ‘Duck Hunter’ after his exploits with the ball. Seven Chudleigh batters didn’t score a run at all and Pugh claimed four of them.

Franco Kasner had three for 19 and Tom Drake two for 17.in 

Torquay had the runs knocked off before the end of the 21st over. Opener Tim Western made 41 – he was out with eight needed - and Drake finished on 19 not out.

Mark Russell (3-41) was Chudleigh’s leading bowler.

Table-topping Torquay are seven points clear of Paignton, who beat Cornwood by eight wickets to go second.

Chudleigh dropped back into he bottom two as Bideford defeated Budleigh Salterton to go past them. They need a win over Abbotskerswell this Saturday.

Chudleigh are in a spot, but 11 points to make up isn’t terminal.

“It's going to be a tough end to the season, but we still have some winnable games to come so we are going to keep fighting each week,” said skipper Matt Heather.

THIRD-placed Paignton were fresh from beating divisional leaders Torquay by a 100-run margin and knew a win over Cornwood would lift them into second spot.

After dismissing the Corns for 113, only Nathan Bell (43) managed to resist for long and score some runs, Paignton were always favourites. It was job done inside 19 overs.

Cornwood are now in third place, but it remains a three-horse race at the top. Torquay (250pts) lead followed by Paignton (243) and Cornwood (234).

Cornwood play Torquay on the last day of the season, which could yet be a promotion decider for one or both of them.

Cornwood were backs to the wall at 18 for four with Pakistani player-coach Mo Salman among the casualties.

Bell, Ben Beaumont (11) and James Richardson (12) stopped the rot for a while.

George Benton (3-24) accounted for Bell, leaving Chris Kelmere (2-40) and Stephen George (2-9) to finish things off.

Harry Ward (10) and Dan Wolf (26) were Paignton’s men out in a running total of 46 for two. Kevin Renecke (29no) and Richard Ashworth (37no) saw them home without further mishap.

Benton, the Paignton captain, said: “It was another great result which has put us in a good position going into the remaining fixtures.

“The boys played brilliantly against Cornwood, who didn’t know what to do against us

“We all know what to expect from the fixtures to come (Budleigh, Brixham, Chudleigh and Ivybridge) and will look to take maximum points every time.”

ABBOTSKERSWELL won’t be going up or down this season, but it seems they could have a role to play in determining who stays up.

Last time out they defeated Brixham by 77 runs to leave their guests 25 points above the relegation places.

Abbots go to second-bottom Chudleigh this Saturday and host third-from-bottom Bideford the week after.

James Westlake (51) and Nick Watkin both scored half-centuries for Abbots in their total of 204 for nine. Sam Carpenter (26) chipped in down the order.

Westlake has clearly flourished since moving from C West side Kingsbridge during the close season, taking his tally to 372 league runs so far.

Brixham spinners Abdul Muzammill (3-26), Mike Barron (3-36) and Dan Bullock (2-29) were the most effective bowlers.

Brixham lost opener George Northcott first ball after tea, but got to 41 for two thanks to Andy Pugh and Muzammil (57).

Sam Johnston (3-18) bowled Pugh and Mark Orchard in successive balls and wickets tumbled as 41 for one became 59 for six.

Connor Ashworth dug in, but no one at the other end scored a run as Noah Tobias (2-23) and Watkin (2-13) whittled the batting down. Ashworth was last out for 30. Tail-ender Paul Heath was six not out – an improvement on the six batters before him who didn’t make a run between them!

PLYMPTON can probably play the rest of the season without fear after a nine-wicket win over Ivybridge in the derby clash at Harewood Park.

Victory takes Plympton 55 points clear of the bottom two relegation places with four games and 80 points to play for.

But the worrying goes on for rock-bottom Ivybridge (100pts), who are involved in a three-way scrap with Chudleigh (102) and Bideford (113) to avoid going down.

It did Ivybridge no favours at all that Bideford beat Budleigh Salterton to go past them and Chudleigh.

Opener Adam Huxtable made a top score of 36 in the Bridge’s total of 115 all out. Next best were Harry Solomon (17) and Harvey Johnson (14). The rest were in single figures or got none at all.

Jacob Caunter (5-19) got wickets at either end of the innings. His second spell included a hat-trick. Andy Walter (3-13 off 9) got into the middle order.

An opening stand of 106 between James Degg (53) and David Ackford (47no) took Plympton within a couple of hits of victory.

Craig Donohue, the Plympton captain, said: “I think we were very clinical. 

“After a tough loss (to Budleigh) the week before it was great we were able to take regular wickets.

“Although Harry and young Harvey Johnson stayed together for a while, even then they didn't get away. “Once we got the breakthrough Jacob ran through the lower order, taking a hat-trick in the process.

“The chase could have been a bit tricky, but Dave and Deggy batted superbly.”

BIDEFORD revived their survival hopes in the A Division with a 13-run win over visiting Budleigh Salterton.

There hasn’t been much good news this season for Bideford, who had only won twice in 13 starts prior to Saturday.

Defeats for Chudleigh and Ivybridge were a welcome bonus for Bideford, who now find themselves 11 points clear of the relegation places.

If they can win at hit-and-miss Brixham this Saturday, the gap could get ever wider.

Bideford recovered from 46 for four to make 134 all out, thanks largely to a stand of 119 for the fifth wicket between Alex Hannam (28) and Jack Ford (41).

Once Hannam departed, Max Mejzner (3-22) and Ed Doble (4-18) whipped out the lower order.

Budleigh were winning it all the way at 78 for one after Marc Troman (36) and Trevor Anning (23) had given them a start. It was a different story at 87 for seven after a collapse sparked by Ford (4-11).

The bottom half of the order crumbled away, helped by Jamie Lathwell (2-7) as Budleigh were dismissed by 121.