MINEHEAD got back to winning ways on Saturday with a 42-run victory over Temple Cloud at home in the Somerset Division of the West of England Premier League.

They were asked to bat for the fifth game in a row, and openers Ian Buchanan and Andrew Stevens once again saw off the new ball with little alarm whilst picking up regular boundaries.

The introduction of Simon Curtis provided the breakthrough Temple Cloud craved as he clean bowled Buchanan for 29, and Stevens then followed for 32, caught behind off the bowling of Andrew Mortimer.

When Curtis had Brad Martin caught at mid-on for nine, Minehead had lost three wickets for just 20 runs, but Liam Muggeridge and Dan Bowditch set about re-building the innings with some watchful overs as they took the score past 100 then 150 as the boundaries started to flow more freely.

Their partnership had reached a valuable 111 before Bowditch was bowled by Curtis for 54, and Muggeridge was caught at long on for 50 shortly after.

Matt Sully and Dan Godfrey (18) picked up where their team-mates had left off and took the score to 240 before Sully was dismissed for 27.

His replacement Freddie Wilson took no time to hit his stride and plundered the death bowlers to all parts of the ground in an enterprising innings of 43 not out which contained six fours and two sixes, taking his team to a considerable total of 317-7 from their 50 overs.

In reply, Harry Tudball (2-45) provided Minehead with the ideal start as he dismissed S Curtis LBW for five in just the second over, and it wasn’t long before he accounted for Mortimer for 21 to leave the visitors on 45-2.

Opener Courtney Forrest was joined by captain Kevin Curtis and they looked to steady the run chase, taking the the score past 100 before Curtis missed a sweep shot off the bowling of Buchanan (1-51) and was adjudged LBW for 18.

Forrest continued, but with little help from the other end he couldn’t maintain the 7.5 runs an over required as two more partners came and went.

By the time he reached his century in the 44th over it was too late, and although he looked to accelerate to 142 not out by the close, it was only good enough to get his side to 275-5 , 42 runs short of victory.

Minehead will be looking to add another win to their tally tomorrow (Saturday) when they travel to bottom of the table Chard.