BOVEY Tracey are leaving it late to secure their Premier Division status after going down by 99 runs to Sidmouth.

There were not too many misfires in the Sidmouth top seven as they reached 241 for nine in their 50 overs.

Henry Gater (48) added some lower-order oomph after Luke Bess (30), Zak Bess (47) and Matt Cooke (38) had got the scoreboard ticking over.

Ashley Causey had three wickets – a bit costly at the end – and there were two each for Chris Yabsley and Peter Bradley.

Bovey were all out for 142 having made hard work of getting as far as that. They were variously 31 for four, 99 for seven and 124 for nine and had no stand greater than 45 in their innings.

Minhaj Jalill (30) and Causey (29) made the only scores of note.

Will Murray (4-34) accounted for the top order, leaving spinners Matt Cooke, Max Hancock and Charlie Miles to twirl through the rest.

This time last season Bovey were about to celebrate winning the Premier Division title. Twelve months on they are in danger of being relegated – a fate they have suffered before.

Bovey won the title in 2002 and were relegated alongside Abbotskerswell the following summer.

Bovey Tracey and North Devon are both in a limbo land above the bottom three where they could be dragged into the relegation mire.

Skipper Toby Codd knows Bovey are not the only club in jeopardy, but they are the only club he is focussed on.

“We just need to concentrate on ourselves and getting one more win,” said Codd.

The return of Andy Fairbairn and Lewis Hammett should strengthen the batting against Hatherleigh this Saturday.