TROWBRIDGE captain Richard Holbrook admitted his side were totally outplayed after they slumped to a four-wicket defeat at Goatacre on Saturday.

The visitors were unable to recreate the previous week's form that saw Cornelius Burger and Richard Greatorex both register centuries. Instead Goatacre eased past their mediocre total of 199 all out with 12 overs to spare to record a comfortable victory.

Trowbridge had high hopes going into the match, but now face the difficult prospect of returning to winning ways against league leaders Stroud tomorrow.

Holbrook is looking for more from a batting line up that failed to yield a single 50 in Saturday's disappointing defeat.

While a number of the top order made decent starts, only Rob Russam (42) passed 40 in what was ultimately a frustrating performance from Trowbridge.

Pushing for the bonus point for passing 200 the visitors fell one short following a last ball run out.

After providing plenty of assistance for the Goatacre attack in the first innings the conditions offered less for Trowbridge's swing bowlers as the visitors took the field. While Holbrook's 2-31 and Rob Edgington's 2-30 in his first bowl of the season offered some resistance, Goatacre never really lost control the match.

Holbrook said: "We were outplayed on the day. They fielded and bowled better than us.

"They won the toss and put us into bat so they would have the best of the conditions. The ball was seaming around quite a lot.

"In the end we were 30 runs short of what we needed. We'll try and bounce back this weekend.

"We beat Goatacre in the two games last year so we did expect to win. But this is a league where everybody is capable of beating anybody on their day."

Trowbridge will be missing key players when they entertain unbeaten Stroud tomorrow and Holbrook knows his team are in for a real fight if they are to compete.

He said: "We will be four players short so we are looking for some players to come through and perform from the second team.

"They are unbeaten in their league and hopefully this will rub off on them on Saturday."

Saturday's loss leaves Trowbridge in third place in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Division One, just behind Warminster who they face in a west Wiltshire derby the following week.