Copdock & Old Ipswichian, despite four wickets from James Pembroke, slithered to a defeat at fellow strugglers Norwich by two wickets on Saturday.

Copdock’s fourth defeat of the summer, from eight fixtures, has left them third-from-bottom of the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League, ahead of Vauxhall Mallards and Bury St Edmunds.

Skipper Chris Swallow actually won the toss and elected to bat first, at Norwich’s Postwick ground, but no visiting batsman managed to build a substantial innings in a total of 203 all out off 46.5 overs.

Copdock lost both their openers early on, Sam Webb-Snowling (16) and Daniel Leggett (4), the former hitting four fours in his 11-ball stay, to leave them on 26 for two.

Alex Oxley (29) and Jack Beaumont (22) put on 46 for the third wicket, while Jack Mexome (45) and Hugh Thomas (22) added 51 for the sixth wicket to take the score on to 145.

Mexome struck 10 fours in his 54-ball cameo, but Copdock’s last six wickets fell for just 58 runs, despite a brisk 41 not out from Glenton Stuurman at No. 8.

The visitors really needed early wickets to heap on the pressure, but openers Martin Greiller (55) and Jack Newby (29) frustrated them with an opening partnership of 78.

Greiller’s 55 was accrued off 98 balls, while No. 3 Aaron Watson was even more watchful with a 93-ball 34.

However, skipper Swallow accounted for both openers, the first wicket falling to a stumping by Webb-Snowling, while Pembroke and Beaumont also took a brace of wickets each to leave Norwich looking vulnerable on 161 for six.

It needed a well-crafted 37 not out from Lewis Sexton, at No. 6, to see the Norfolk club over the line.

Sexton put on a vital 35 for the seventh wicket with Jason Blake (18), and went on to score the winning runs with Max Goodrum at the other end.

Pembroke took four for 65, off 16 overs, while spinners Beaumont (18-6-29-2) and Swallow (18-6-29-2) both bowled tightly, but Norwich dug deep to wrap up a second win of the summer with two wickets and 14 balls in hand.

Bottom of the table only a few weeks ago, Norwich have therefore leapfrogged Copdock in the table. Copdock host Bury St Edmunds in a big match this Saturday.