Falmouth came away from Paul on Saturday evening with a useful six points but it might well have been more as they gave one of their most encouraging performances of the season.

After battling to 151 all out in the 46th over they had the champions rattled at 49 for five. Another quick wicket or two then and an upset was on the cards.

The home side dug deep however and eventually got home for the loss of seven wickets with20 overs to spare. In a move that worked Simon Hosking opened the innings and anchored it for the duration. He was the last man out having made 67. He dominated the opening stand of 26 with Adrian Noott who made two. The Falmouth top order soon followed with Stefan Churcher (0), Antony Angove (7) and Duncan Ayres (10) all falling to Justin Stephens. Kelvin Snell accounted for Jake Stephens and at 76 for five the innings was in danger of serious decline. It was rescued by a sixth wicket stand of 43 between Hosking and Mark Johnson.

The partnership was broken with the score at 119 when Johnson was run out for 30. Hosking then took control to put on 31 with Liam Hoban who gave good support, despite only scoring a couple of runs. He was eventually caught off Neil Pengelly which signalled a swift end to proceedings. Pengelly wrapped up the innings trapping David Neville leg before and then had Hosking caught by Bob Clayton. In between Chris Farndon was lbw to Stephens to give the former Cornwall opening bowler figures of five for 38 from 14 overs. Pengelly took three for 21 from 12.4 overs with Kelvin Snell taking one for 16.

The Paul reply started poorly with Tony Riggall caught behind by Noott off Ayres for 3. Ayres followed by removing Martin Oats for 2 and when Angove bowled Clayton at 19-3 Falmouth were in the game. Stephens and Kelvin Snell steadied things to add 22 before Ayres claimed his third wicket, having Stephens leg before for 18. Snell followed to Angove to make it 49 for five and a shock was on. Andrew Snell (40) and Ryan Edwards (21no) added 60 crucially for the sixth wicket.

Hoban got the breakthrough having Snell caught for 49. Charlie Goldsworthy made 17 but, ironically, it was former Falmouth player Ryan Edwards that had the final say. He ended on 21 not out sharing an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 22 with Ben Brooks, who made 12 not out. Ayres took three for 31 and Angove three for 38. Neville’s ten overs only cost 21 runs.

Falmouth host the side immediately above them, Troon, on Saturday. Elsewhere last week there was good news for Falmouth with Newquay only picking up two points in the eight wicket home defeat by second placed Callington. Falmouth now have a 40 point cushion at the foot of the table. Truro gained a last gasp one wicket win over St Austell to lead the table by just two points. Werrington have crept up to third, only seven off the pace; following an eight wicket home win over Grampound Road. St Just lost ground with their game at Troon abandoned due to bad light after almost two hours had been lost to rain. Troon required a further 121 off 14 overs with five wickets remaining when the umpires called it a day just before 8.30pm.