Spalding Town slipped to their first defeat of the South Lincs and Border League Premier Division season on Saturday.
Mid-table Grantham 2nd proved too strong for the table-toppers at Spalding Grammar School as they picked up a 37 run success, handing skipper Jonathan Miles his first loss in his new Town role.
On a day when the toss was always likely to be key, Grantham won and elected to bat and make use of the warm conditions before the expected downpour later on.
Steward Mudie (79) led from the front for them, with opening partner Martin Parmley (28) also getting a good start before falling to Miles (1-23).
Max Everett (44) then joined Mudie and the pair enjoyed a good spell, building the foundation for Grantham’s innings.
Everett eventually fell six runs shy of his half-century as Brandon Andrews (1-67) struck.
That saw Joseph Broomfield (4-29) brought into the attack – and he duly got rid of the dangerous Mudie.
Jared Hackney (5), Sam Lythgoe (17) and Gareth Bennett (0) also fell to Broomfield as Grantham began to lose wickets at regular intervals before closing on 193-7.
Spalding’s reply didn’t quite go to plan, but it did get off to a positive start.
Openers Jon Manton (24) and Broomfield (38) both scored nicely before falling to the dangerous Ramakrishna Mangineni (5-38).
The rest of Town’s top order struggled for runs, with Josh Newton (6) bowled by Mangineni, Miles (3) dismissed by Taylor Fell (2-41) and Ethan Lawrence (5) also accounted for by that man Mangineni.
Matters got worse when Rob Ambrose and Peter Cook were both out for ducks, but lower order resistance arrived in the shape of Andrews (46).
With support from William Barnes (5), William Naylor (4) and Harry DeCamps, Andrews threatened to steer Spalding towards the target before Hackney (2-25) got rid of him four runs shy of a half-century.
Town were eventually all out for 156 in 40.1 overs and collected just six points.
They are now only four points clear at the summit ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Skegness (1pm).
