GOODRICH agonisingly lost by a single wicket to title rivals Canon Frome, who squeezed home with three balls to spare to leapfrog them to top spot in Marches Division One with four games to play.

The top three all made runs for the hosts, Harry Porter starring with 67, but the rest of the batting line-up struggled with only one more player making double figures as they were dismissed for 169 in 41.4 overs.

In reply, Goodrich went so close to denying the visitors, who reached 170-9 to take 17 points to six.

Openers Chris Tookey and James O’Brien scored 26 and 27 respectively, while Porter anchored the innings.

But seven of the batsmen only scored a combined 11 between them as the wheels came off, only ninth man Matt Young with 15 not out showing any real resistance in the middle order and tail.

In reply, Canon Frome fourth man Mohammed Serfraz made 66, backed by opener Sam Pratley with 30 and Andy Lloyd with 25 as the visitors inched towards the target.

Three wickets for James O’Brien, backed by two apiece for Provis and Jack Lewis kept Goodrich right in it to the wire, with the last five batsmen only scoring 13 between them.

But the last pair got them over the line with half an over to spare, putting Canon top of the table by just two points.

At the other end of the table, second-to-bottom Fownhope Strollers 1sts won by a whopping 162 runs at home to third-from-bottom Luctonians, Richard Lerego firing 10 fours in his 73, backed by Mike Berry with 35, Ethan Lerego with 23 and George Wood-Cole with 19, as they reached 272-7 in their 45 overs.

Luctonians were in with a shout at 91-2, but the loss of the third wicket to a Doug Roberts catch off a Wood-Cole delivery sparked a spectacular collapse.

The visitors only added 19 more runs for the loss of the remaining seven wickets, six of them ducks making it seven in all, as they were all out for 110 in 21 overs.

Ethan Lerego took 3-4 off 4.1 overs, Corey Terry 3-9 off three, and Wood-Cole 3-44 off eight, as they closed the gap on eighth to 25 points.

Tristan Hubbard hit 62 and Freddie Spencer 53 not out as Woolhope pursued Ledbury’s giant target of 293-6 off their 45 overs in the same division.

And they agonisingly got within nine runs of the target before losing their last wicket, all out for 284 with 2.2 overs left to play.

Skipper opener Mike Weaver with 36, Paddy Capper with 30 and Shaun Weaver with 26 also contributed with the bat, while Freddie Spencer had earlier taken two wickets, with the result leaving the village side fifth.

Ross-on-Wye 1st XI’s Division 2 game was conceded by Herefordians, meaning 20 points to close the gap at the top of the table on Almeley to just five points, with a visit to third-placed Hay-on-Wye up next this Saturday.

The 2nd XI took the lion’s share of the points finishing 38-runs clear of Luctonians 3rds in a Division 3 basement battle after scoring 154 all out in 36 overs.

Alexander Springer with 42 and ninth man Paul Morris with 31 not out, backed by Richard Jeffryes with 29, provided the bulk of the runs.

And bowlers Will Brookes and Dee Springer then did the bulk of the damage in the field, each taking three wickets, as Luctonians were limited to 116-8 off their 40 overs.

Fownhope 2nds, one place above Luctonians, set an impressive 236-8 off their 40 overs in the same division away to Burghill, Tillington and Weobley 3rds.

Alex Carter hit 51, Kieron Terry 47 and Christopher Ling 36 not out.

But it wasn’t enough, as the hosts chased down the target with an over to spare, finishing on 238-7, Terry taking three of the wickets and Frankie Allan two.

Ninth man Stephen Peet hit 47, including seven fours and two sixes, as he tried to lift Woolhope 2nds back into contention away to Almeley 2nds in a second v fourth clash in the same division.

But chasing 238-4 off 40 overs, they were all out for 205 with 2.4 overs left, and both teams are now level on points tied in third, two points behind Moccas.