A SECOND wicket partnership of 96 between Sam Aston and Charlie Ayland laid the groundwork for Redmarley’s win in the Forest derby at Cinderford.

The victory saw Redmarley move back into second place in the Gloucestershire County League Second Division as Langford lost by six wickets to leaders Lydney.

Cinderford made a strong start with Jack Weaving opening with a maiden and claiming the wicket of Ronnie Newbery in the seventh.

The visitors’ captain was caught by wicketkeeper Jonathan Bowdler to make it 22-1.

Aston, who was the dominant run-maker, was joined by Ayland for a frustrating period for the attack.

When Aston was dismissed for 68, the score was 118-2.

Aston went at the start of the 25th over, bowled by Mark House after an innings which included 12 fours off 78 balls.

Ayland then lost two partners to successive balls at the start of the next over to the bowling of Mark Roberts.

First Kevin Trouw went for nine and then Joe Lawrence for a duck as Redmarley went from 118-2 to 126-4.

Roberts did not complete the hat-trick but he would not be denied his third wicket.

He accounted for Ayland at the start of the 34th, bringing to an end an innings of 54 including six fours.

His partnership with Ben Gwilliam had put on 47 for the fifth wicket.

Three had been added when Gwilliam was bowled by Andrew Cottrell but Andrew Green scored 39 not out off just 18 balls with five fours as Redmarley finished on 237.

St John were quick out of the blocks with Simon Gwynne and Edward Ruck posting 49 for the first wicket.

Wicketkeeper Newbery caught both, Gwynne off Sam Mattingley and Ruck off James Holland to make it 50-2.

Josh Edwards and Mark House kept the home side in the hunt with 62 for the third wicket.

Edwards was bowled for 20 and House for 34, both by Jack Bartlett and Cinderford were 118-4.

That left the home side 120 shy of the target with 11 overs and six wickets.

Chloe Skelton and Jack Weaving were at the crease but runs were increasingly hard to come by against an on point bowling attack

Skelton finished the afternoon on 16 not out off 46 balls while Weaving hit four boundaries for an undefeated 27 off 31.

Redmarley picked up 17 points which puts them 11 ahead of Langford but they trail Lydney by a massive 39 points.

Cinderford are now in eighth place, just six points above the drop zone and with only 10 between them and bottom side Rockhampton.