Spalding are facing relegation from the Premier Division of the Lincs Premier League, despite a convincing seven-wicket win over bottom club Grantham in their latest fixture.
Unfortunately, their closest rivals both also won, leaving Spalding 23 points adrift of safety, with only 20 points left to play for in their last match of the season, at Woodhall Spa on Saturday.
Ollie Dring won the toss and put Grantham in to bat. They put on 56 for the first wicket before Spalding got the upper hand through Walter Kinlock (3-14) and Barnaby Dring (3-47) as they slipped to 57/2 and from 105/2 to 110/5.
The last five wickets fell for just three runs as the visitors were sent back to the pavilion with one ball left of the 33rd over.
Divyeash Vaseeharan led the reply, coming in at first wicket down to score an unbeaten 55, including two 6s and five 4s.
A 49-run third-wicket partnership with captain Dring (20) pushed Spalding to the brink of victory and they completed a seven-wicket win with virtually half of their overs in hand.
In Championship South, Moulton Harrox lost to new champions Market Deeping by 102 runs.
Matt Rose won the toss and chose to field. He was rewarded with an early wicket but the runs piled up after that, despite using nine bowlers to try to slow the rate.
Curtis Todd (3-35) was the pick but the visitors chalked up a formidable 260/9 from their 50 overs.
In reply, Moulton had lost four wickets before they reached 60 but Josh Newton (36) and Ruari Drumm (24) dug in, before a late 26-ball unbeaten 29 from Todd boosted their total to 158 when he ran out of partners in the 42nd over.
A win this weekend will wrap up the Division One South title for Long Sutton, with a game to spare.
They cruised to victory by eight wickets at home to Burghley Park Seconds on Saturday and can confirm top spot if they beat second-placed Freiston, Leake & Leverton in their penultimate game.
Jake Burton led the charge, taking 4-15 in the visitors’ 141/9.
In response, Calvin Bird (47) and Rajan Sangha (22) set them up well with a 60-run opening stand before Dan Oldfield (39no) and captain Aron John (29no) pushed them over the line with eight wickets in hand.
Freiston maintained their outside hopes of pinching the title with a 60-run win against Moulton Harrox Seconds.
Jay Hammant (3-38), Eranda Munasinghege (2-33) and Lewis Peak (2-36) kept them on their toes as they were dismissed for 190.
However, any hopes Moulton had of an upset to help their neighbours were swiftly dashed as they lost both openers without scoring and slumped to 4/3.
It looked game over at 24/6 but Shanaka Sumanapal led the fightback with an unbeaten 68, sharing a last-wicket stand of 75 with captain Rob Callaby (15no) as they stretched their innings out for the full 45 overs to 130/9.
Spalding Seconds enjoyed a 59-run victory at Ketton Sports in Division Two South. Dan Mulley called correctly and batted, with Mike Kearns snr (55) and Michael Kearns (39) putting together a solid second-wicket partnership in their 182/9
Mulley then picked up the ball to take 3-13 from his nine overs and, with Phil Lewis (2-20) and James Frascella (2-24) chipping in, sent Sports packing for 123.
In the same division, Long Sutton Seconds were well beaten at Orton Park Seconds.
The hosts scored freely, despite the efforts of eight Sutton bowlers and rattled up 300/4.
Sutton’s reply ended 114 runs short but only after a battling third-wicket stand saw Jeewan Pradeep (76) and Angus Bell (73) put on 135. However, from 174/3, Sutton lost their last seven wickets for just 12 runs collapsing to 186 all out, under attack from Adam Boothman (6-62).
