GRAPPENHALL have five matches to save their Cheshire County Premier League status after defeat to fellow strugglers Bramhall on Saturday.

The hosts were beaten by seven wickets at Broad Lane to a side who had themselves lost their five previous matches.

Put in to bat on an easy-paced wicket, Grappenhall made a brisk start and raced to 37 before Jimmy McCoy, continuing his recent good form, miss hit a shot and departed for 26.

Meanwhile Jamie Bye looked solid and along with Albert Pennington the pair looked untroubled until the latter miscued and went for 14, soon followed by Bye who made a well-crafted 27 while Richard Green went cheaply to leave it 81 for 4.

At this point the scoring rate slowed significantly as Warwick Abrahim and Ian Hall looked to rebuild, but got rather bogged down by Bramhall`s spinners.

Warwick eventually fell for 33 and Hall for 18 and, with seven wickets down for 125, any hopes of maximising batting points were gone, though Gaz Burns and Sam Guest at number 11 showed some determination.

A total of 163 all out in the final over was certainly 70 or 80 light of where it could or should have been.

The second half was pretty much one-way traffic as Bramhall had little trouble in overhauling the home side’s total, reaching their target in just 34 overs, which was indicative of how Grappenhall bowled.

With few exceptions it was a poor bowling display, with some wayward and poorly directed bowling.

The loss leaves Grappenhall second bottom in the top flight and 26 points off a position of safety.

With a major ground project to improve the outfield starting on August 17, Grappenhall will have to travel away from home for those remaining five fixtures.

They begin their away schedule at Macclesfield on Saturday, while trips to title-chasing Hyde and Nantwich follow as well as relegation rivals Neston and finally Chester Boughton Hall.