GOATACRE’S adventure in the National Village Knockout Cup is over after they were beaten by 19 runs by Parley on Sunday.

Having been asked to bowl first by their hosts, Goatacre gave themselves a good chance of getting out of the Dorset & Wilts group by reducing Parley to 153-9 from their 40 overs.

Two early wickets for Matt House, dismissing Samuel Collins and Robbie Gunn without scoring, left the home side with a serious slope to climb during their innings and wickets continued to tumble.

Only three Parley players made it beyond 13 - with George Wilson top scoring at number nine with an unbeaten 34. Goatacre captain Brad Dawson excelled with the ball, claiming miserly figures of 4-18 from nine overs, and he was ably supported by House, with 2-29, and Jif Wilkins.

Goatacre looked odds-on to progress at the tea interval and they made a solid start with the bat, as Dan Horton anchored the top of the innings.

However, wickets began to fall and while Chris Chapman, Kevin Iles, Rob Murphy and Matt House all managed to get into double figures, none could go on.

Goatacre’s best hope of edging home disappeared when Horton was caught by Collins off Jamie Hicks for 36, and the visitors stumbled through to 134-9.