Brend's (pictured) run of form continues as Bideford ease to victory over Ipplepen | 'Tom Brend was brilliant in the chase, finished off nicely by Lukanyo and Josh King' – Bideford captain Jack Ford

TOM Brend’s run of form with the bat for Bideford continued with a half-century in a four-wicket win at Ipplepen.

Ipplepen were bowled out for 169 – Steve Bond grabbing four wickets to hasten their demise – which Bideford knocked off with more than nine overs to go. Brend made 54.

Brend has scored two tons and now two half-centuries or more in his past six trips to the crease, which have yielded 397 runs.

For Bideford there was little riding on the result, other than were they finish in the top five of the table. They were tipped for the top two this season after three third-place finishes in a row, but were handicapped by a dreadful start of one win in the first six games.

“We have had a brilliant second half to the season, but left ourselves too much to do to get back up near the top two,” said skipper Jack Ford.

Ipplepen are seven points adrift of safety down in the bottom three. The team they have to get past is Braunton, whom they meet in a relegation decider at Kelsey this Saturday.

"Obviously it's not the position we'd like to be in, but this is what it's all about and we will relish the challenge,” said Ipplepen captain Matt Beasant.

"We haven't been consistent enough all season, but still have the chance to put that right within 90 overs on Saturday.

“I can't fault the efforts of any single player who's played this season. We are a really tight-knit group and the future is so bright for this club and group of players, regardless of how the season pans out.”

Openers Aiden Phillips (52) and Mawgan Penrice (26) were largely responsible for taking Pens to 105 for two.

Once Bond (4-26) and Luka Metu (3-38) got to work no one made more than a dozen for Ipplepen. Marcus Bulled (2-2) assisted with the mopping up at the end.

Bideford lost James Ford and Ollie Hannam cheaply, but more than recovered during a partnership of 68 between Brend and James Hayter (25).

There was a brief hiatus as Hayter then Brend went in quick succession to Warrick Green (2-39), but Metu (23) then Josh King (27no) put Bideford firmly on course.

Said Ford: “We did brilliantly to keep Ipplepen to the total we did after the start they got off too.

“Steve Bond was exceptional with the ball, as he has been all season. Their batsman really did have no answer to him.

"Tom Brend was brilliant in the chase, finished off nicely by Lukanyo and Josh King. A pretty dominant performance by us all round.