CORSE and Staunton fell to an unexpected defeat when they were edged out by three runs against Gloucestershire Cricket League Division One bottom side Redmarley.

There were just three runs in it as the league leaders went down to a second successive defeat.

With Cheltenham Seconds winning at Tetbury, their lead has been cut to just two points.

Redmarley won the toss and elected to bat, setting a target of 150.

Ed Goolden and Harry Tegg limited the visitors to 41 off the first 10 overs but it was not until midway through the 18th that the first wicket fell.

Jack Tyrer took the catch off the bowling of Te Shawn Zyun Alleyne to dismiss Richard Henry for 29 including five fours and 78-1

Alleyne claimed a second wicket when he trapped Trouw leg before for with the fifth ball of the 20th to make it 81-2.

His third came when Charlie Ayland was caught by Jack Hutchings to leave Redmarley on 88-3.

Ayland was Redmarley’s top scorer with 42 that included six fours.

Corse made further progress when Sam Mattingley was caught by Tim Dannatt off the bowling of Tristan Maree and the visitors were 90-4.

Maree then picked up the wicket of Redmarley skipper Andrew Green who was caught leg before for six to make it 98-5 at the start of the 25th over.

Ollie Norman and Craig Stow then added 22 for the sixth wicket before Norman was caught by John Tegg off the bowling of Matt Brown with the second delivery of the maiden 34th over.

Kieran Slatter became the seventh batsman to go when he was bowled by Callum King with Redmarley on 133.

King also accounted for Stow, who was Redmarley’s second highest scorer.

His 37 came off 45 deliveries and included six fours before he was bowled at the beginning of the 38th.

He struck again with the first ball of the next over when he bowled H Malcolm to make it 141-9.

King closed the Redmarley innings when he bowled A Watkins.

King finished with figures of 4-16, Alleyne 3-21, Maree 2-22 and Brown 1-34.

Corse quickly lost their opening wicket as Tim Dannatt was bowled by Richard Henry, the first of four, to make it 11-1.

Corse then lost wickets in successive overs with Matt Cox caught by Trouw off the bowling of Henry at the end of the fifth.

Craig Stow trapped Hutchings leg before to leave the home side on 31-3.

The leaders then lost four wickets for just 13 runs, leaving them in trouble at 67-7.

Trouw and bowler Henry again combined to dismiss Goolden.

His 34 came at a run a ball and included six fours and Corse were 54-4.

Henry took a catch off Green to dismiss Tegg and when he had Alleyne lbw it was 62-6.

Jon Tegg was then bowled by Norman for 67-7.

Matt Brown went the same way against Stow for 91-8 and when Jack Tyrer was caught for 18 by Green off Mattingley, Corse were still 43 runs short.

At the end of 40 overs, Corse had reduced the deficit to nine.

Mattingley contained Maree with the first three deliveries and a single came off the fourth.

The win was secured with the fifth delivery when King was bowled.