FORMER Pershore player David Powles returned to haunt his old side, taking a six-wicket haul to send them to defeat against Fordhouses in Birmingham League Division Two.
Recent results for Fordhouses and Pershore, two of the early season favourites for promotion, have been disappointing but it turned out to be a good day for Fordhouses who ran out winners by 109 runs.
Pershore, who lie fourth from bottom in the table but 26 points clear of second-bottom Streetly, will look to bounce back on Saturday when Penkridge visit The Bottoms.
Last Saturday, Pershore won the toss and elected to field at Fordhouses but they found opener Niall Cooper in defiant form.
Although wickets tumbled around him, he scored 76 off 119 balls to guide his team to 144-3 before he fell.
Charlie Cross collected 4-61 as Pershore tested the middle order but skipper Chris Guest (28) led the hosts to 212 all out off 49.4 overs.
There were two wickets apiece for Taylor Pugh (2-35), Matthew Brace (2-43) and Stephen Miles (2-45).
In reply, Pershore slumped to 29-4 before Alex Clasen (42) attempted a recovery, sharing a 47-run stand with Miles (15) for the fifth wicket.
However, Pugh (13) was the only other batsman into double figures as they were skittled for 103 in the 33rd over. Powles tool the last six Pershore wickets to finish with 6-18 off 8.4 overs.
Pershore seconds’ batsmen also endured a tough day as they were all out for 96 in an eight-wicket defeat at home to Walsall in 2nd XI Division One.
Skipper Jonathan Stickler top-scored with 22 but Pershore had no answer to Muhammed Yahiya Khan who finished with remarkable figures of 5-1 off 3.2 overs.
Walsall raced to their target in just 13.1 overs at 97-2.
Pershore thirds’ match at home to Old Hill in Worcestershire League Division Five was abandoned.
Pershore were dismissed for 199 after 44 overs, led by 69 from opener Dominic Capaldi and 43 from Christoper Holtom, but Old Hill’s innings was cut short at 43-2 after seven overs.
The second-bottom Plums, seven points behind Harborne, head to second-placed Harvington on Saturday.