PARKEND held off a strong challenge from Cirencester Seconds to claim an eight-run win in Division Five of the Gloucestershire County League.

The Forest side elected to bat and opener Josh Middlecote was top scorer with 55 which included four fours while Jake Parsons hit three boundaries.

Luke Andrew scored 48 with all but two of his runs coming from boundaries with 10 fours and a six.

Ryan Burris also hit a six and three fours in his 34.

There were also useful contributions towards the end of the innings from Scott Ayres, Mark Moodie and Robbie Jones who chipped in with four sixes between them

Moodie hit two of them as he contributed 14 not out.

Robbie Jones had one six as he also scored 14 and skipper also hit a six in his 13 as Parkend finished on 241-9.

The Parkend bowlers got in among the top order with the first four batsmen contributing just 35 between them.

There were two wickets each for Tom Tremlett, Ryan Burris and Robbie Jones and one each for Scott Ayres and Mark Moodie.

Faced with a big target, the Cirencester top order looked to the boundary but that gave opportunities for catches that Parkend were happy to accept.

The first three batsmen went to catches off the bowling Ayres, Burris and Tremlett for a combined total of 19.

The first player make it into double figures, Andy Reynolds, was caught leg before by Mark Moodie for 16.

The Cirencester fightback started with batsmen five and six and Hugo Bashell.

Brownless hit seven fours and a six in his 51 before he was bowled by Tremlett.

Bashell, who had made five fours and six, went to a catch as he attempted another big hit off the bowling of Burris.

Harrison Woodcock was fifth Cirencester player to go to a catch, this time off the bowling of Robbie Jones.

Bengy Dodds was run out for 19 and Jones had Giles Martin lbw for a duck in a nail-biting finale.

The last two batsmen ran out of deliveries just eight short of the target and Parkend are now third in the table tied on 71 points with Lydney Seconds who are one place ahead.