Final-day defeat soon forgotten thanks to play-off triumph

Disappointment quickly turned to delight for Godmanchester last weekend.

Matt Pateman’s title-winning Town team fell at the final hurdle in their bid to complete the Tucker Gardner League Division One season in unbeaten style.

They went down to runners-up Wisbech by 148 runs at The Parks last Saturday - succumbing for 139 in pursuit of 287-7.

But they delivered an immediate and impressive response by powering to victory by 50 runs in their East Anglian Premier League (EAPL) promotion play-off at Fakenham the following day.

“It was a bit disappointing not to finish the league season unbeaten,” admitted Pateman. “We just didn’t show up in all honesty and that can happen when you know the job of winning the title is already done.

“The biggest concern was going into the play-off game on the back of a defeat, but we responded with a perfect performance at Fakenham.”

Godmanchester posted a useful tally of 267 helped by a top-scoring contribution of 69 from Adam Cousins while Pateman added 61 before being unluckily run-out at the non-striker’s end.

The signs were ominous though as Fakenham, champions of the Norfolk Alliance, roared out of the blocks in reply.

Their overseas run machine Chad Bowes smacked the opening four balls of the innings for boundaries, but Godmanchester gradually gained control.

Adhav took 4-46 while Paul Swannell weighed in with a valuable 3-39 which included two wickets in as many balls. Elliott Baldwin also claimed a couple of victims as Godmanchester wrapped up victory with five wickets to spare.

Their reward is a play-off final at Two Counties League champions Sudbury this Saturday as they bid to return to the EAPL for the first time since suffering relegation back in 2009.