Acle travelled to Vauxhall Mallards in a second v third Norfolk Alliance Premier Division clash at Brundall.Again Acle had let themselves down with inconsistent bowling and dropped catches as Mallards went top with a four-wicket win.

Acle travelled to Vauxhall Mallards in a second v third Norfolk Alliance Premier Division clash at Brundall.

Again Acle had let themselves down with inconsistent bowling and dropped catches as Mallards went top with a four-wicket win.

Acle remain in fourth place, but a positive result tomorrow at Lowestoft is vital if they are to stay in the championship hunt.

Acle won the toss and decided to bat. This was a decision the visiting captain was beginning to rue after five overs as Acle lost both openers with the score on nine, both lbw to Mallards' main men Goldsmith and Dezoysa.

Matty Short and Darren Ward started to repair the early damage, and saw off the early threat from the Mallards' opening pair. The Damgate boys were both in fine form, and took the score up to 96 from 22 overs when disaster struck - Ward was caught by Stone at third man after edging a wide delivery from Newton. Short followed soon after and Acle went from 96-2 to 101-4 within a couple of overs.

Huggins and Wilson consolidated for a while but could not maintain the run rate that Ward and Short had managed. Wilson was the next to go, bowled by Dezoysa, who also trapped Huggins lbw in his next over. With the score on 126-6, Paul Newman and Paul Munford were left to try and recover the Acle innings.

Consolidation was required at this important stage, and the pair ticked the scoreboard over for the next six overs and then decided to attack with four overs remaining.

Stone returned to the attack and promptly had his first ball hit for four by Newman, then a single, then another six from Munford, but the youngster recovered well and Munford (20) was unable to hit the slower ball cleanly and edged in the air to Anderson.

Newman (34) continued to push on the score but was run out shortly before the end of the innings. Joey Sidell and Josh Rowe added a few extra runs at the end but Acle finished on 192-9, knowing that they would have to bowl extremely well in order to defend their below par total.

Acle's opening bowlers Lee and Rowe got the visitors off to a good start, removing makeshift openers Straw (8) and Seager (6), both caught behind by Huggins. Rowe then tormented overseas star Dezoysa and was rewarded as he clean bowled him for 22.

Key players Newton and Goldsmith batted sensibly and had put on 60 for the next wicket, but Newman trapped Newton lbw for 27 and Acle were back in the game.

However, celebrations were short-lived as poor bowling allowed the mid/lower order far too much room to play shots, and with this support Goldsmith (79 not out) steered his side through to victory with eight balls to spare.

On a lighter note, the club send their congratulations to Jon and Angela, especially Jon after his successful marriage proposal on Saturday night!