THORNBURY captain Luke Davis was left pleased with his team’s display as the returned to the top of the West of England Premier League Prem 2 Glos/Wilts division after a thrilling finale to their derby with neighbours Rockhampton on Saturday.

But the Rams skipper Jamie Wakefield said the match could have been theirs and was left 'gutted' as they went down to defeat by just nine runs in the final over.

A bumper crowd at The Ship Field saw Thornbury’s youngster and opener Josh Riggs hit a half century, fellow opener Nick Willis-Stovold strike thirty and, down the order, Danny Slade smash 55.

But some decent bowling from the Rams, with Chris Willoughby taking 3-40, restricted Thornbury to 217 all out.

And, when Wakefield hit 67 and number three Will Tyler hit 38, the Rams were on 119-2 and on course for victory.

They struggled further down the order and left themselves around six an over in the final ten but wicketkeeper Jack Spence and number ten Will Brisco tried their best to achieve the impossible, with Spence banging a six into the sightscreen, but it was just too much as Rockhampton finished on 208-8.

The home spectators cheered Thornbury off the pitch after two losses in previous weeks. They are now back above Dumbleton, who lost at Cheltenham, to top the league, and Davis said: “It was important for us to win.

“It is always good to beat the rivals so it is good to get back to winning ways. I always backed out bowling and fielding and were probably a bit short at half-time (after their innings).

“I would rather have about 250 or something like that but I will back us to defend anything we get.”

Davis praised his bowlers at the end of the Rockhampton innings as they kept the batsmen looking to thrash the ball to the boundary at bay.

“It was tight and they are very good at the end.”

Now it will be a trip to struggling Lechlade this Saturday where they should be favourites to win again.

“It is onwards and upwards. We are back on the horse but everyone can beat anyone in this league and it is how you bounce back to win again.”

But Wakefield was disappointed with Rockhampton and thought some of the blame lay on his own shoulders for losing his wicket.

The Rams are home to Burbage and Easton Royal, who are on a hot streak at the moment, on Saturday.

Wakefield said: “I am gutted. We did everything right and I blame myself a bit for chucking my wicket on 69 trying to blaze it. These things happen.

“We are down but you have to look up. It wasn’t our day today. We did everything we could in the field to restrict them to 217 which is good for a team which are hitting three hundred every week.

“We almost got there and took it to the wire. It was good from Spence and Brisco who almost brought us back into it but we tried out best.”