HORSPATH 2nd ensured they stayed up in Cherwell League Division 2 with a 12-run victory at home to Wolverton Town.
Knowing they had to win to guarantee safety, the hosts were held to 180-6 after being put in to bat with opener Jamie Stead making a patient 41. He was supported by Alfie Turner (26) and Mohson Rana (24), before Dan Jones gave the innings a late boost with an unbeaten 19 off 14 balls.
Andy Cummings reduced Wolverton to 35-2 as he returned impressive figures of 2-22 from his ten overs, but the visitors recovered and were well placed at 124-3. However, Turner then dismissed opener Chris King for 54 and Horspath turned the screw.
The last seven wickets went down for 44 runs with Turner producing another fine spell to finish with 3-27. He was well backed up by Shahbaz Ali (1-36) and Liam Manley (1-43), while there was a first league wicket for Stead, who took 1-7 from two overs. The win sees Horspath end the season in eighth place.
Horspath 3rd finished seventh in Division 4 following an eight-wicket defeat at Bletchley Town.
The visitors were shot out for 105 in just 24 overs after being put in to bat, before Bletchley cruised to 108-2 off 18 overs.
Horspath 4th were relegated from Division 7 following a 34-run defeat at home to third-placed Minster Lovell 2nd.
The home side, who started the day above the drop zone in eighth place, restricted Minster to 190-6 after the visitors elected to bat with the wickets being claimed by Hayden Moon (3-39) and Elliot Ward (1-56) plus two run outs. Chris Batten, whose ten overs came at a cost of just 22 runs, also bowled well as Wes Spearman (52), Jacob Mayers (44) and Lee Keyes (41) kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Horspath were then bowled out for 156 despite John Perkins making 52 and Moon chipping in with 31. Jake Spearman (3-11), Bill Bowman (3-25) and Joshua Swadling (3-26) shared the wickets.
Horspath dropped to ninth place with Didcot 3rd, who had started the day in that position, beating Charlbury 2nd by one wicket to leapfrog above them.
Posted by: Russ