FRINTON’S arrival in the thick of the title race in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship did not last long.

Seven days after moving into second place when they were the only team to beat the weather, they lost to Essex rivals Wivenhoe to drop back to third place once again.

It means Saturday’s contest at Rectory Road will be a clash of the top two when Wivenhoe entertain Mildenhall to complete the first half of the league season.

Frinton will hope to move back ahead of whichever team loses that game, but they know they missed a golden opportunity last weekend.

They had closed the gap on Mildenhall to 21 points as they played their game in hand, Mildenhall having a week off.

But Wivenhoe were generally in control. Billy Godleman (71) and Colin Kelly (31) gave them a good start, Nathan Rabnott (35) kept it going and Tom Harwood finished it off with an unbeaten 42. That all helped set a target of 215 for six.

Trevor Moulton and Tony Stubbs led the Frinton spin attack with two wickets apiece.

Frinton’s openers also made a good start as Moulton scored 36 and Michael Armstrong 31. But after they were out, it turned into a onemanshow as Chat Herath complied 44 not out as wickets fell steadily at the other end.

Ian Morton, batting at No. 9, added 18 but the target was never really in sight as the innings closed on 179 for nine. Matt Durrell took four for 45 and there were two wickets each for Tom Durrell and Harry Burnett.

Mistley suffered a narrow sevenrun defeat at Exning. Tim Catley’s unbeaten 71 pushed the Exning total up to 220 for seven but Mistley were well on course as Kemsley Robb (83) and Paul Garwood (24) put on 108 for the first wicket. But Rob Grove picked up four wickets and 12 were still needed from the last two overs.

Only two came from the penultimate over and the task of scoring 10 from Grove’s last over proved too much, Mistley ending seven runs short.

The pendulum swung their way 24 hours later as they beat Buckinghamshire opponents Great Brickhill by four runs in the National Village Championship. Mistley’s next opponents are Rowledge with the Lord’s final looming just three wins away.

Jimmy Allan and Craig Rutterford both took four wickets as Coggeshall were held to 155 for nine at Woolpit, and Andy Northcote’s unbeaten 87 guided the home team to an eight-wicket win.

Copdock saw off Ipswich by 47 runs, with Chris Swallow top-scoring with 59 and Tom Jenkin (five for 39) and Jon East (four for 40) combining to bowl Ipswich out for 146. James Alder (42) and Alex Gooding (35) were the Ipswich leading scorers.

In Division Two, Elmstead Grasshoppers lost their unbeaten record and were replaced at the top of the table by Lakenheath. Jon Butcher scored 50 before being run out as Elmstead put 174 on the board, and an exciting run chase was in the balance at 148 for seven in reply. Danny Reynolds, who had earlier claimed three wickets, saw Lakenheath home with 24 not out.

Hadleigh stayed third when Tim Rix guided them to a six-wicket win over Witham with 78 not out.

Bottom team Dunmow scored their first win of the season when they successfully defended a modest total of 137 to beat Brockley, who dropped to the bottom as East Bergholt also won, Paul Lloyd grabbing five for 33 to help dismiss Braintree for 108 and set up a narrow two-wicket win. Mark Hayward saw them home with 20 not out.

In Division Three, Little Bardfield Village were bowled out for 62, but they grabbed six wickets in reply before Coggeshall II secured victory.

There was a remarkable game in Division Five when Earls Colne were dismissed for 78 – and won by 10 runs. Nick Oakley (five for 33) and Joe Smith (three for 19) got to work to send Harwich & Dovercourt packing for 68.

Lily Reynolds, who has been in prolific form with the bat, only scored 44 for Mildenhall IV in Division Seven, but then took four for 13 to secure a 42-run win over Stowmarket II.