WARMINSTER suffered their ninth defeat in 15 games after last weekend’s 76-run loss at the hands of mid-table Thornbury.

Warminster, who are currently bottom of Premier Two Glos/Wilts, face a real challenge if they wish to maintain their league status.

This result won’t have helped as they are now 39 points from safety with only three games left to play.

Thornbury won the toss and forced Warminster into the field, however, things initially started well for the visitors when David Bateman caught opener Dan Davis to make it 0-1.

But Warminster were made to wait for the next wicket to fall.

It eventually came when Bateman beat Marcus Wormwell to the stumps, leaving the score at 69-2.

The league strugglers were watching their good start fall away as Thornbury progressed to 111-3 and again to 174-4.

Warminster needed to get their act together if they were to get anything from the game but were unable to do so.

Thornbury captain Richard Trotman was putting in a stellar performance with the bat, outstaying Luke Davis and Sam Summerfield, before he was eventually dismissed for 75 as his side posted a target of 293.

Rory Cullinan’s side had a huge total to chase and even they go off to an uninspired start at 73-3, having lost Tristan Lundviqvist (9), Paul Gilbert (35) and Tom Pitman (7).

Pete Hickerton was Warminster’s only real highlight when he scored an impressive 74 but that wasn’t enough to get them near their target of 295.

Paul Gilbert, was the second-highest scorer for Cullinan’s team with 35, but other than that, runs were hard to find for the visitors.

After Hickerton’s dismissal at 194-8, the game was all but lost; Graham Cuthbertson’s duck didn’t help proceedings as they now stood at 194-9.

The home side then saw off Warminster’s captain for 18, leaving them with a total of 219 all out, which consequently handed them a 76-run victory.