Spalding Town pushed defending champions and current Lincs ECB Premier League leaders Bourne all the way at Seas End Hall on Saturday before succumbing to a four-wicket defeat.
Hosts Town won the toss and decided to bat on a very warm day and, despite an 89 from Ollie Dring, were bowled out for 174 in 49 overs.
Spalding then made Bourne fight for their win, reducing them to 31-2 and taking regular wickets before they reached 177-6 in 31.1 overs.
Town stay ninth after their ninth defeat from 13 games, but now have Louth (11th) and Nettleham (10th) within striking distance behind them.
Spalding started very well with the bat as Dring and Jon Manton (25) put on 60 before the latter was dismissed by an in-form Ben Wright (2-23).
That didn’t stop Dring expressing himself, as he cracked ten fours and a six to keep the hosts scoring well.
Wickets tumbled around him, though, with Josh Lawrence (4), Joe Broomfield (1) and Chris Dring (5) all out cheaply to leave Spalding on 124-4.
More partners came and went for the opener as Ethan Lawrence (1) and George Morris (0) gone without troubling the scorers much, before Ollie Dring was eventually out to Jack Berry (2-48) some 11 runs shy of what would have been a well-deserved century after 123 balls.
Nilantha Atapattu (20) added key runs down the order, but ducks for Barnaby Dring and Harry Decamps ensured Town were unable to bat their 50 overs out.
Rob Bentley (4-39) finished with fine figures for Bourne, who would have backed themselves to chase down their target.
That they did, but not without a few wobbles along the way. Atapattu (3-37) struck twice early on to get Sam Evison (0) and Jordan Temple (5), while Harry DeCamps (3-51) snared the dangerous Jonathan Cheer (4).
However, Wright (67) and Carl Wilson (39 not out) did score nicely to ensure a foundation for the run chase was in place.
Bentley (18) and Brandon Diplock (15 not out) kept Wilson company to help Bourne get over the line, but Spalding were only a few wickets away from having them rattled.
Next up for Town is another home game on Saturday, with second-from-bottom Louth the visitors to Seas End Hall (11.30am).
