Newtown 163-7 lost to Sentinel 164-5 by five wickets

NEWTOWN remain in the relegation dogfight after slipping to a five wicket defeat at home to Sentinel.

Town now stand just a point clear of the relegation places with every game between now and the end of the season next month now vital.

Town lost openers Aaron Knight (6) and Matthew Knight cheaply as Matt Ellul (1-14) and Malcolm Serplet (1-32) reduced the hosts to 13-2.

Ryan Davies was joined by Tom Foulkes in a 22 run third wicket partnership before the latter was caught by Jamie Wear off George Cheshire for 13 with Jack Morris following him back to the pavilion after being bowled for a duck by Shane Gwilt (1-21).

Davies and captain Sam Cook built the innings with a 41 run fifth wicket stand guiding Town to 77 when Davies was snared LBW by Joe Yapp for a dogged 31.

Ally Laird was caught by Matt Richards for a duck off Cheshire (2-21) before Tom Anderson was trapped LBW by Yapp (2-45) to leave Cooke (48no) and John Anthony (16no) to form an unbroken eighth wicket stand and guide Town to 163-7 to defend.

Newtown could not have got off to a better start in reply with opener Niall Salisbury caught by Cooke off Anderson for a duck.

Richards was joined by Steve Gray in adding 31 for the second wicket before departing, caught by Cooke off Dave Anthony (1-44) for 18.

Gray was joined by Wear in a 22 run third wicket stand before both fell in quick succession.

Gray was caught by Laird off Bryan Galpin for 20 before Wear was bowled by Anderson (2-22) for 11 to leave Sentinel wobbling on 53-4.

Yapp steadied the ship Sentinel and joined by Serplet in a 31 run fifth wicket stand to guide their side to 84 when the latter was caught and bowled by Gaplin (2-31) for 17.

However Yapp (45no) was not to be moved and was joined by Ed Ashlin (44no) in an unbroken sixth wicket stand to guide Sentinel to 164-5 in the the 45th over.