THE pressure is on Heathcoat to pull out a result on Saturday when they face Bradninch in the Premier derby at Knightshayes.

Heathcoat’s 40-run defeat by leaders Bovey Tracey left them one off the bottom of the table without a win since beating Torquay on the last Saturday in May.

With only five points between Heathcoat and bottom side Plymouth, whom they play at Mount Wise next Saturday, there is no room for error in the next few games.

Heathcoat made Bovey work for their win, but ultimately lost with four overs to go chasing 249 to win.

Bovey were bowled out for 248 – James Onley-Gregson taking four wickets – only for Heathcoat to slide from 197 for five to 208 all out in reply.

Skipper Peter Randerson said: “Overall we played considerably better than we have been but an improvement is still required with the bat.

 “This Saturday is a big game  ands I am hoping to have a stronger side out for it.”

Heathcoat are still without Devon batter Jack Dart – following the Lions in New Zealand – and Namibian paceman J J Smit, who has returned home for family reasons.

Matt Golding, the former Bradninch all-rounder and Devon regular, top scored for Bovey Tracey with 71.

Teenage opener Will Christophers made 54 to see the shine off the new ball and take Bovey to 86 for three.

Golding and Lukee Jongwe (20) added 62 for the fourth wicket before Onley-Gregson (4-29) split them up.

Lewis Hammett – a hockey clubmate of Randerson’s with Ashmoor – biffed 52 off 48 balls to help Bovey add 58 in the last 10 overs.

Heathcoat got into a winning position at 197 for five thanks to Randerson’s 87, aided and abetted by Jackson Thompson (25) and Jamie Drew (27).

Randerson batted on and on – he was eighth out on 201 – but needed someone to have stayed with him a bit longer.

Zimbabwean international Jongwe (4-32) bowled Randerson in his second spell, leaving Ryan Bougourd (2-42) to mop up the stragglers as the last five wickets tumbled for just 11 runs.

For Bovey captain Peter Bradley it was the response wanted after the defeat by North Devon that cost the leaders their unbeaten record.

“It was good to get straight back with a win, although we made hard work of it,” said Bradley.

“I was chuffed for Will Christophers, scoring his first Premier Division 50.

“Lewis Hammett is showing what hard work can achieve by scoring more consistently this season.

“We actually felt we should have scored a few more. Same old case of people getting in and getting out. We must learn from this.

“We bowled poorly to start with. In the fiirst 20 overs we didn't build any pressure or bowl to fields set.

“As soon as we did, we started taking wickets!

“For all that to be moaning and unhappy with performances, when we are six from seven is a good thing.

“We haven't played to our potential yet. We will have to this week, as Exmouth are on form.”