A SECOND successive defeat on the road has virtually extinguished any aspirations Willoughy had of promotion from Division One of the South Northants League.
Mid-table stability now looks the more realistic target with five games of the 2016 season to go after they fell to a two-wicket defeat away at Woodford Halse.
Having won the toss in baking conditions at Woodford Halse, the visitors opted to bat but after a decent start, they soon started to see wickets fall by the wayside.
Ashley Rayner managed to hang around to stem the home attack by making 24 and having negotiated a hat-trick ball from the hosts, Ryan Perry joined him to build the innings worthwhile partnership and see Willoughby into three figures.
Perry was the penultimate wicket to fall with a top score of 30 as Willoughby were bowled all out for 120, a score which was 40 to 50 runs below being competitive.
Scott Baxter was the pick of the home bowlers after taking five wickets and conceding 27 runs, while Ben Chambers also claimed a hat-trick to finisah on 3 for 16.
As Woodford’s reply got underway, the visitors attack was immediately hampered by an injury to Rayner who pulled up after one ball.
Five of Woodford’s top six then got into double figures but as Willoughby took wickets they could not keep the momentum going.
Nick Crane was economic as ever returning an impressive 2 for 24 from his ten straight overs, while Dave Alcock bagged 4 for 46 but Kyle Baxter’s 27 supported by Ben Ward making 20 proved the difference as Woodford got home with two wickets to spare.
In Division Three, Willoughby A also tasted defeat after losing by 94 against Helmdon which included a disastrous battling collapse.
Having been set a gettable target of 162 for 4, Willoughby were cruising but when a 50 run stand between Ian Button and Badj Rahman was broken it signalled a collapse which saw the last seven wickets fall for 15 runs.
Button top scored with 33 and Rahman made 26 as Helmdon’s Tom Williams and Wayne de Beer took 5 for 16 and 3 for 15 respectively.
Earlier, some late hitting in the visitors innings saw them take 55 off the last eight overs to pass 160. Geoff Bridger’s 44 supported by Charlie Arrand’s unbeaten 53 the main contributors to their total with Willoughby skipper Ben Hollis taking 2 for 32.
