WITH all hope of a top two finish long gone Whitchurch were hoping to consolidate their third position in the league.

Instead they limped home from Chelston after a disappointing display, the excellent win against Exwick the previous week a distant memory.

The game started well with Whitchurch keeping the runs low. Towl (1-10) got the early breakthrough bowling Harrison in the second over. Guest (19) and Gregerson (17) consolidated for the home team before Poole took the first of his three wickets.

42-2 quickly became 78-5 as Whitchurch took control of the game. Faulkner (38) proved a sticking point holding the lower order together as he took Chelston over the 100 mark.

A rare bowling spell from Nigel Barriball (1-11) saw the end of Faulkner and the rest of the batting was mopped up by Potts (2-0). Chelston went into tea having put 128 on the board.

The Whitchurch innings was not something to dwell on. The top order disappeared with only 21 on the board. Barriball (13) repaired some of the damage but a middle order collapse saw Whitchurch in deep trouble on 47-8.

A game that had been there for the taking was now slipping away. Cotter (27 not out) and Sambells (17) took the score into the 80s but that was as good as it got.

Chelston were the ones with the smiles on their faces at the end.

A quirk of the fixtures means that Whitchurch face the same team next Saturday and will be hoping for a better result.

Chelston and Kingskerswell beat Whitchurch by 40 runs.