Ottery St Mary suffered an agonising defeat at home to Braunton in C Division East of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League.

The Otters opted to field first on their home track and the decision immediately paid dividends, as Jonathan Triner bowled Braunton skipper Callum Mitchell for a duck.

Unfortunately for Ottery, the visitors from North Devon recovered impressively from the early setback and built an outstanding partnership of 128 between Rob Collier (65) and Alfie Huxtable (40).

The breakthrough finally came when Huxtable was run out by Triner and, as often happens when partnerships are broken, Collier followed soon after, Freddie Eul-Barker taking the catch from Sam Brook’s bowling.

Sam O’Nyons kept up the Ottery momentum by taking two further quick wickets before Jamie Lathwell hit back with a steady 29 for Braunton, who finished with a total of 206/7 from their 45 overs. O’Nyons and Brook took two each as Ottery’s top bowling pair.

The run chase mirrored Braunton’s innings in the early stages, as Ottery lost George Mutter for just eight but then compiled an excellent second-wicket partnership, also of 128.

Alex Clements was terrific in his 75, eventually falling after being trapped lbw by Daniel Brierley. Triner was his partner and worked incredibly hard in amassing a 44 from 91 balls.

At 161/3, Ottery were in pole position to secure the win but they then slumped to 163/6 and the pressure was on, both in terms of wickets in hand and the number of overs remaining.

After his tidy effort with the ball, O’Nyons desperately tried to take his team to victory, bashing three boundaries in a quickfire 26 but when he was caught, Ottery were out of options, losing the match by just four runs.

The result leaves Ottery in seventh position but still within catching distance of the four sides above them, one of whom is Alphington and Countess Wear, who are their hosts this weekend. Ottery follow that with a trip to Exeter 2nds on July 9 and a visit from Heathcoat 2nds on July 16.