WARMINSTER coach Martyn Hutton says that his relegated side have been fighting an uphill battle all season.

Warminster are set to finish bottom of the pile after suffering their 13th defeat of the season last weekend, dropping down to the third tier of the West of England Premier League for the first time since 2007.

Hutton thinks that the raft of first-class county players his team have faced off against made it too difficult for Warminster to be competitive but says that thoughts are already on a swift return from the Glos/Wilts Division next summer.

“With Gloucestershire and Somerset changing their rules on players featuring for other teams this year, it’s seemed like we’ve come up against a first-class player every week,” said the Warminster coach.

“We’ve had to play against Jack Leach at Taunton Deane and Will Gidman at Thornbury, as well at Liam Dawson at Goatacre.

“When you add in second-teamers and overseas players, it just shows what you’re up against.

“The boys have had to play out of their skins just to compete and it’s just been too much.

“It’s disappointing because we wanted to go the other way this year and a lot of people are down at the club.

“But we’ve got to look at getting some new blood into the club and trying to come straight back up next year.”

Warminster opted to bat first after winning the toss at Glastonbury last weekend and John Powell claimed the wicket of opener Tom Brock for just three runs but the hosts’ Ali Easton (89) and Harry Ellison (66*) put them in control in a heavily rain-affected clash.

The visitors’ Pete Hickerton took two wickets as Glastonbury posted 170 from a rain-reduced 25 overs.

Warminster’s run chase never really got up and running, with Nick Hempbury top-scoring with 41 and Hickerton making 32.

But the hosts’ Pete Smith, George Bartlett and Brock all claimed two wickets apiece as Tom Davie’s men were skittled for 142 in the final over.

Ashur Morrison weighed in with 79 from 56 balls for Corsham, but Robin D’Souza’s side saw their trip to Ilminster fall foul of the wet weather.

Skipper D’Souza also hit 69 from 46 deliveries to put his side in control, with Corsham posting 239-5 from a rain-reduced 30 overs before the match was called off.

Westbury were saved from a thumping defeat at Potterne after the home skipper Neil Clark hit 99 from 52.

Chris Penhaligon smacked 68, while Jake Roberts made an unbeaten 50 from just 16 deliveries, with Potterne declaring after reaching a whopping 225-2 from just over 18 overs.

But the clash was abandoned in Westbury’s tenth over, with Simon Rose and Lydon Gibbons unbeaten on 41-0.

In the Wiltshire Division, Great Bedwyn reached 97-3 against Winsley, with Pete Orchard taking two wickets, but the match was called off after 29 overs.

Trowbridge’s home match with Marshfield was abandoned, with the hosts 47-0 chasing their rivals’ 141 all out.

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