Goatacre are one step closer to avoiding the drop from Glos/Wilts Division One with a convincing 83 -run win at home against fellow strugglers Lydney.

Goatacre batted first and lost Steve Lines for just two. But Steve Gee and Matthew Wilkins batted sensibly towards the 20-over mark scoring at around four runs per over.

Goatacre's second wicket fell in the 20th over in the most amazing fashion.

Gee drilled the ball back at catchable height to Terry Scott, Lydney's senior spin bowler. He 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 Bishop at mid-on.

Meanwhile, both batsmen had been concentrating on watching the ball instead of deciding whether or not to run.

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.

Jif Wilkins joined Gee, and the pair advanced the score to 100 before Gee (47) was caught behind.

This brought the veteran Kevin Iles to the crease, with Goatacre looking to increase the run-rate.

In the 40th over Wilkins was caught behind for 33, and when Rob Turner was bowled, Goatacre were 171-5 and still short of a decent score.

Iles (39) hit Will Jones for six, but fell three balls later attempting the same.

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. The 66-run seventh wicket stand Wilkins shared with his son advanced Goatacre to 243. They lost their last two wickets in the final over, but claimed maximum batting points with their total of 254 from the allotted 50 overs.

The Goatacre bowlers were on top from the start of Lydney's innings.

Rob Turner and Adam Iles bowled a mean spell, to leave Lydney struggling on 11-3.

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, and Lydney had limped to 56-5 after 26 overs.

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.

A spectacular diving catch at deep mid-wicket by Edward Wilkins saw Iles collect his second wicket. Lydney were 108-8 and Goatacre were looking to close the innings by taking the last two wickets quickly. Jif Wilkins claimed his second wicket bowling Scott for 50, and the end for Lydney looked near as they were 123- 9.

However, Bishop and Morris, the Lydney number 10 and 11 batsmen were to make the highest stand of the innings.

They put on 51 runs for the last wicket giving their side two more valuable batting points. Morris was 26 not out from 21 balls, and Bishop was eventually bowled by Adam Iles (8-3-16-3) for 31 runs in just 27 balls. Lydney were all out 171.