NEWTOWN endured a day to forget in a 131 run thrashing at home to Wem in the Henshalls Shropshire Premier League.

A 64 run first wicket stand between Chris Peel and Harry Chandler laid the foundations for Wem before John Anthony struck with Chandler caught by Sam Cooke for 29.

Sam Peate joined Peel in adding 36 runs for the second wicket before departing to Anthony for 11 while Peel was finally snared LBW for 56 by Hamish Harding (1-31).

However Newtown were punished as Matthew Cohen and Tom Astley combined in a commanding 157 fourth wicket stand.

Astley included 11 fours and a six in his knock before departing for 70, caught by Tom Foulkes off Ally Laird who completed his 2-90 with the wicket of Cohen, caught by Tom Goodman for a top scoring 108, including 13 fours.

Jack Morris (2-90) and John Anthony (4-51) made light work of the remainder of the Wem order but Newtown were still left with a daunting 321 to chase.

Newtown suffered a poor opening in reply with Goodman and Harding caught by Chandler off James Astley while Steve Davies was caught by Peel off Cohen (1-35) to leave Town 12-3.

Foulkes and Cooke revived the Town innings with a 55 run fourth wicket stand before Foulkes was caught by Cohen off Evan Limerick (1-32) for 29.

Cooke was joined by Jack Morris in a 52 run sixth wicket stand before his departure, caught by Cohen off Ned Absolom for 55, to leave Town on 119-5.

Morris pushed Town to 151-7 when he was caught by Chandler off Tom Astley (2-24) for 37 to leave Laird to continue the fight before his own fall for 22 to James Astley (3-27) for 22 as captain Dave Anthony (18no) saw out the overs as Newtown ended on 190-9.