BRAUNTON defeated Dartington & Totnes by four wickets in the basement battle at Kelsey to keep a gap between them and the bottom three.

Darts are winless at the foot of the table and suffered serious issues getting a side out at Braunton.

Of the ten who travelled there were a sizeable proportion of 2nd XI players who were filling gaps in the side.

Braunton captain Jon Baglow took four for 18 and Alfie Huxtable three for 18 to bowl Darts out for 109,.

Ed Verrall made 17 and skipper James Howrihane 40 after going in at 31 for four. No one else made more than seven.

Darts didn’t make it easy for Braunton and Howrihane’s four-for-34 haul kept the home side on their toes.

It was a bits-and-pieces performance from the batters that saw Braunton home with Rob Collier (21) the best of them.

Braunton will have tougher assignments, starting with in-form South Devon at Newton Abbot this Saturday.

Baglow said you can only beat what’s in front of you, adding: “A win is a win and we need every one we can get.”

Losing skipper Howrihane was phlegmatic about the latest defeat.

“Although we ended up playing with 10 men the team put up a real fight,” said Howrihane.

“Had we scored 20 more runs the game would have been close on a very slow low pitch.

“I think we probably should have won our last three games. We just have to remember how to get over the line and keep plugging away.”