STOKE Gabriel CC tumbled to a seven-wicket defeat against Ivybridge that left them one off the bottom of the B Division table.

Stoke went in fits and starts from 44 for none to 66 for four then 142 for five to 165 all out. Farzad Safi (2-26) got early wickets then Adam Huxtable (4-20) spun through the bottom half. Two runouts helped.

Skipper Jack Tolley had 28 of the first 44 in the laptop, Dan Bullock composed 44 in the middle and Jake Robinson swatted four boundaries in a 24-ball 22 near the end.

Thirty-three extras – 20 of them wides – topped up the Stoke total.

Ivybridge were 47 for three in reply with Abraham Kopparambil (21) among the fallen, having round Issac Withington (2-13 off 9) a handful

Zach Dunn (74no) and Harry Solomon (37no) ended the game as a contest with an unbroken stand of 142.

Tolley admitted Stoke had to make changes to the side that won at Ipplepen seven days earlier, but that could not excuse the manner of this defeat.

“We put in a great effort but didn't deserve any more than we got,” said Tolley.

“If we want to win more games, batters need to go on and get match-winning scores once they are in – and bowlers need to give less boundary balls.

“I am hoping to have a few returning from injury and unavailability this weekend for the trip to Braunton.”

As previously mentioned, Stoke are ninth out of 10 teams in the B Division due to this result. Ivybridge on the other hand are third, six points behind league leaders Plymstock, who are the only side at this level to have had a perfect start of three wins from three.

Next up, Stoke visit Braunton and Ivybridge host Budleigh Salterton.