PLYMPTON missed out on the chance to gain ground on the top three when they slipped up by 52 runs at Paignton.
Craig Donohue’s men remain fourth in the table, but are now 26 points behind third-placed Paignton, who trail joint leaders Torquay and Cornwood by a single point.
Opener Noah Wright was the only Paignton batter to miss out in a 50-over total of 231 for seven.
Dan Wolf (23) and Richard Ashworth (26) made early runs, South African Kevin Renecke made 37 on his debut and there was a stand of 62 for the sixth wicket between Harry Ward (47) and George Benton (42).
Dave Wrench (1-32) and Jacob Caunter (2-38) bowled tidy 10-over spells for Plympton.
Plympton plunged to nine for three, 21 for five and 39 for seven in reply as Devon pacer Benton (5-49) and Rob Shergold (2-45) ripped into them.
Total collapse was staved off by a remarkable eighth-wicket partnership between Justin Wubbeling and Lee Ahmed.
Wubbeling slamed 20 fours and a six on his way to 112 of 86 balls. Ahmed kept going at the other end for a solid 25 in a stand worth 103.
Wolf (2-7) broke the stand and it didn’t take long to polish off the rest as Plympton subsided to 179 all out.
No one else made more than four in the Plympton innings and five batters didn’t muster a run between them!
It was a difficult game to analyse, but Plympton skipper Craig Donohue gave it a shot.
“Paignton got off to a good start on a good wicket and fast outfield, but with some good slow bowling through the middle overs we managed to keep them to what I thought was about a par score,” said Donohue.
“When batting we lost too many early wickets - George Benton bowled well up front - and at one stage we were 26-6. You aren't going to win many games from there.
“Justin and Lee Ahmed put on a fantastic partnership and managed to get us up to 179.
“I thought at the half way stage we were well in the game and had a great chance of chasing it down
“There were some good individual performances we hope to carry into next week.”
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