Ipplepen turn tables on Ivybridge and promotion and relegation issues come to the boil | 'The ever-dependable Ross Kennard (pictured) was excellent with the ball again' – Ipplepen captain Matt Besant

IPPLEPEN sprang a mini-surprise in the B Division when they won by two wickets at Ivybridge.

According to the form book it should have been a home win for second-placed Ivybridge over second-bottom Ipplepen.

Ipplepen are still in the bottom two – Bovey’s win over Stoke Gabriel did them no favours – but are only six points shy of safety.

Ivybridge soon got into trouble against Ipplepen, who had them limping along at 29 for four before Adam Huxtable (43), Sam Kidd (13) and Tinashe Muchawaya (31 off 11 balls) intervened.

Arthur Johnson made 19 towards Ivybridge’s final total of 140 all out with more than 10 overs unused.

Ross Kennard (4-12) and George Tapley (2-14) took the bowling plaudits for Ipplepen.

Ipplepen got there in the end via a circuitous route that took them from 71 for three to 94 for seven before skipper Matt Beasant put them on course for victory.

Jono Colgate’s 34 up the order was instrumental in laying the platform for the chase. Pens would not have finished it without Beasant (21) and Tapley (18no) rescuing them from 94 for seven.

Muchawaya (3-17) and Harry Solomon (3-22) were the bowlers who made life hard for Ipplepen.

Beasant could see the best and the worst bits of the game when he summed it up.

“Once again, we didn't make it easy with a few soft dismissals, although, we did feel very hard done by with a couple of decisions while batting,” said Beasant.

“Really mature batting from George and Warrick Green saw us home well.

“The ever-dependable Ross Kennard was excellent with the ball again.”

Defeat cost Ivybridge the chance to go second in the table behind Budleigh Salterton.

Budleigh Salterton’s win over Abbotskerswell pushed them 26 points clear at the top and means they are unlikely to miss out on one of the promotion places.

Ivybridge (207pts) trail Plymstock (212) by five points in the squabble for second place. The game between the two antagonists on the last day of the season could be the promotion decider, unless one of them drops off beforehand.

Josh Zimmerman, the Ivybridge captain, said losing to Ipplepen was a setback but not a disaster.

“It's been one of those seasons where all teams can beat each other,” said Zimmerman.

“We're fortunate that results elsewhere means our destiny is still in our own hands.”