EVEN at this late stage in the season, with just two matches remaining, seven teams out of the ten still have a mathematical chance of falling into the relegation zone.

Goatacre are one step closer to avoiding the drop with a convincing 83 run win at home against fellow strugglers Lydney despite being 6 for 1 at the end of the third over.

However, Steve Gee and Matthew Wilkins settled the home side's nerves, as they batted very sensibly towards the 20 over mark scoring at around four an over.

Goatacre's second wicket fell in the 20th over in the most amazing fashion. Steve Gee drilled the ball back at catchable height to Terry Scott, Lydney's senior spin bowler.

Scott failed to take the catch, but parried the ball high in the air towards mid-off who dived to take the catch but also spilled it, and the ball rolled towards James Bishop at mid-on.

As Bishop collected the ball at mid-on, non-striker Wilkins found himself colliding with Gee two thirds of the way down the wicket. A direct hit saw Bishop throw down the stumps with Wilkins run out by more than 10 yards, for 40 runs. Goatacre were 76 for 2 after 20 overs.

Jif Wilkins joined Gee, and the pair advanced the score to 100 before Gee (47) was caught behind from the bowling of Scott in the 28th over.

This brought the veteran Kevin Iles to the crease, with Goatacre looking to increase the run-rate as the innings entered the last 20 overs.

Iles scored at just over a run a ball with Jif Wilkins supporting sensibly as the pair increased the Goatacre total at just about six runs per over.

With the loss of these two, enter John Wilkins hero of the famous victory over National Village reigning champions Shipton-Under-Wychwood earlier in the season.

Wilkins' two eldest sons, Matthew and Jif, had already batted scoring 40 and 33 respectively, and John was batting now with his youngest son Edward. Wilkins senior scored 47 runs having blasted the Lydney bowling to all parts, hammering nine boundaries, including three sixes, in his 28 ball innings.

Goatacre lost their last two wickets in the final over, but claimed maximum batting points with their total of 254 from the allotted 50 overs.

For the visitors 17-year-old Will Jones was the pick of the bowling finishing with 4 for 53 from ten overs.

The Goatacre bowlers were on top from the start of Lydney's innings. Goatacre opening bowlers Rob Turner and Adam Iles bowled a very mean spell in tandem. In the first 10 overs the pair had bowled five maidens and taken three wickets between them, Lydney were struggling on 11 runs.

Lydney batsmen Gallagher and Scott set about rebuilding the innings, advancing the score to 35 from 17 overs. Gallagher was bowled by Rahn Heer in the 18th over. Heer picked up his second wicket bowling Bishop for just two runs and Lydney had limped to 56 for 5 after 26 overs.

Of the change bowlers, Kevin Iles took his first wicket in his third over. Jif Wilkins was brought on to bowl at the other end and immediately made an impression, taking his first wicket with his third delivery. Lydney were now 98 for 7 after 35 overs.

The end looked near as they were 123 for 9 but Bishop (31) and Morris (26 not out), the Lydney number 10 and 11 batsmen were to make the highest stand of the Lydney innings. Together they put on 51 runs for the last wicket giving their side two more valuable batting points and finishing on 171.

This result means Goatacre jump two places to seventh and Lydney fall a place to eighth. Lydney face the top two teams in their remaining games.