BIDDESTONE captain Dwaine Perry has challenged his players to show their mental strength ahead of tomorrow's crunch match at home to promotion rivals Hatherley and Reddings.

The Wiltshire side slipped to third place in the Gloucester and Wilts division two with a three wicket defeat at leaders Swindon on Saturday, but will reinstall themselves as favourites for promotion with a win tomorrow.

With only two matches of the season remaining neither side can afford to lose the match and Perry believes the result will decide who goes up with Swindon.

He said: "It is a massive game and a must-win match for both sides. I think whoever wins will almost be guaranteed promotion.

"Saturday was a setback as we just didn't score enough runs on a good wicket but it is now all about how we respond to that defeat.

"If the players come out fighting we have a good chance, if they don't we can say goodbye to promotion.

"Nobody ever thought we would be in this position but it would be a shame to finish the campaign on a downer after such a good run."

After winning the toss on Saturday, Biddestone elected to bat but their opening duo of Jon Mason and Sam Thornton started slowly with Mason dismissed in the fifth over with only six runs scored.

Perry then came into bat and started to make inroads into the Swindon attack although Thornton lost his wicket to make the score 50-2.

Biddestone then suffered a mini collapse as Michael Lodder (1) was bowled 13 runs later and then Kris Boulton (16) and Phil Boore (0) were dismissed in consecutive balls to leave their side in disarray on 89-5 off 26 overs.

After the loss of David Miller (0) in the next over, Gordon Bedwell joined Perry to increase the run rate before Perry was bowled for 52.

Biddestone were bowled out in the 43rd over for 143.

In reply, Swindon started cautiously knowing that three runs an over would secure victory.

Despite a steady fall of wickets, Swindon always looked as though they would reach their target and they won with three wickets remaining.

Lodder took four wickets for the loss of 32 runs, while Bedwell, Mark Unwin and Thornton picked up one wicket apiece.