POTTERNE skipper Neil Clark admitted his side’s failure to build on a promising batting start probably cost them the chance of victory against early-season Premier One pacesetters Downend at The Grove on Saturday.

The villagers were in a decent position with more than 221 on the board and still only five men down having been put in by their visitors, but their final five wickets fell for just 20 more runs as they subsided to 241 all out.

Potterne’s misery was compounded when Downend number four Ian Cockbain was dropped without a run to his name, only to go on and score a match-winning unbeaten 131 from 103 balls, featuring 18 fours and seven sixes as the away side secured a six-wicket victory in the 40th over.

“We were going pretty well throughout (the innings) but if we had batted the last five overs out well, with the batters we had, we could have put another 50 or 60 on the board. Then it’s a completely different game,’’ admitted Clark.

“In reality, 240 at Potterne is never really going to be enough. They played well on the day and fair play (to Cockbain) for making his century. We dropped him on zero and he made us pay.’’

He added: “It was our first defeat but it feels like two because we were the only side rained off last week and, against Lechlade, we would have hoped to have won that game.

“That’s how it goes sometimes. But in this league anyone can beat anyone, so hopefully we can pick up some wins in the next few weeks.’’

Ed Young’s 70 had boosted Potterne’s total, with Basil Akram adding a 25-ball 44, Matthew Jackson taking 4-25 for the visitors.

Cockbain, a top order batsman for Gloucestershire, dominated the reply, sharing a third-wicket 128-run stand with Jack Penn (58).