A FINE 92 from Steve Gee could not prevent Goatacre slipping to a 58-run defeat at fellow strugglers Trowbridge in Glos/Wilts Division One.

The loss leaves Goatacre in the relegation zone but their fate is in their own hands.

They face Lydney, Colwall and Dumbleton in the final three matches and wins against lowly Lydney and Dumbleton should see Goatacre avoid the drop.

Trowbridge, put in to bat, lost their first wicket at 51 in the 12th over when Kevin Iles bowled Greatorex with his second ball.

Some tight bowling from Iles and Rahn Heer saw just 14 more runs added in the following six overs before Iles struck again, having Oakley caught behind by Parish for 31.

This brought Trowbridge's overseas player Cornelius Burger to the crease to join his captain Richard Holbrook.

The Trowbridge pair cruised along at just under six runs per over, each taking advantage of wayward Goatacre bowling to amass a third wicket partnership of 124 runs.

Holbrook was out for 65, bowled by Rahn Heer in the 39th over, and Trowbridge were 186-3. Edginton was the next wicket to fall for 9 runs, again bowled by Heer.

Luke Morris, aged 16, then joined Burger as the pair raced into the closing stages at seven runs an over.

Burger was eventually out in the 49th over, bowled by Jif Wilkins for 93. Morris finished with 28 not out, and Trowbridge had scored 270-5 in their 50 overs.

Goatacre's openers, Steve Lines and Steve Gee, started promisingly, before Lines (31) played on a delivery from Burger in the 11th over with the score on 51.

Jif Wilkins joined Gee and the pair increased the score to 87 before Wilkins was caught at mid-off for 19.

Two balls later Kevin Iles was caught behind from the bowling of Burger, and then five balls into the next over Andy Donegan was also caught behind.

Goatacre had lost three wickets quickly and had been reduced to 88-4 after 22 overs.

Ed Wilkins scored nine in a 41-run fifth wicket stand with Gee, before he was bowled by Burger (12-3-34-4) in the 31st over.

Adam Iles scored 10 in a 32-run sixth-wicket stand with Gee, before he was caught at long on from the bowling of Beel.

Gee was running out of partners, and Goatacre were running out of time with the required run rate now at more than eight runs an over.

Gee was bowled in the 42nd over for 92 with the Goatacre score on 185. Six more runs were added in the following two overs before John Wilkins was caught for 16 and then two balls later Sam Parish was caught behind for two, both off the bowling of Hickerton, who ended with figures of 12.5-3-55-4.

Matthew Wilkins and Rahn Heer added 17 for the 10th wicket, but Goatacre were well short of the target, having been bowled out for 212.