Week five of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League campaign was not a good one for local sides.

Exmouth lost a fourth consecutive top flight game, going down by nine wickets at home to leaders Paignton.

James Horler top scored with 67 - a welcome knock from the opener who had been dismissed for a duck in each of this two previous innings - and there was a knock of 56 from Miles Lenygon as Exmouth scored 224-8 from their 50 overs.

However, that was not enough to stop Paignton, who claimed a fifth win in five games this season - they have banked all but six of the 100 points available to them so far this term - as they sailed home with the only success for the Maer men being a Pete Turnbull catch off Sid Fereday.

Budleigh Salterton suffered their first A Division defeat of the term and dropped out of the top two after being beaten at home by Cornwood with the margin of victory for the visitor's one of six wickets.

In a low scoring affair, Budleigh were bundled out for just 76 in 23.5 overs with James Doble (26), the only home batsman into double figures! Cornwood lost just four wickets in their successful run chase.

In C Division East, Exmouth 2nds suffered a second successive defeat as they went down by five wickets at Heathcoat 2nds. Batting first, Exmouth closed on 183-8 with the top score being one of 55 from Sean Day. Heathcoat lost just five wickets in the successful run chase.

Clyst St George climbed to the top of the D Division East table with a terrific 75-run win at Sandford 2nds. After losing the toss and being put in, Clyst were wobbling on 72-4, but a splendid 91 from number six bat Andrew Donovan together with supporting knocks of 43, from Sam Read and Inder Singh (29) saw the side to a close of 241.

Sandford's reply was hit by a superb spell of bowling from both George O'Dwyer and Hamish Dow who shared the new ball duties and, between them, took eight of the home wickets to fall as the Creedy Park men closed on 166-9. O'Dwyer finished with 5-46 and Dow's figures were 3-17 as Clyst picked up all but one of the 20 available points to hit top spot.

In another D Division East game, Budleigh 2nds were walloped by 10 wickets at Chardstock where they were bowled out for 110. Alex Richardson (29) and Steve Booth (21) scored almost half the teams runs between them and Chardstock raced to victory with their openers still, at the crease.

Topsham St James thrashed hosts Bradninch 2nds by nine wickets in an E Division East game. The Tops, who lost the toss, bowled the home side out for 59 in 18.2 overs and then used up just 10.4 overs in racing to a nine wicket success.

It was Ross Treleaven and Brian Jeary, bowling in tandem with the new ball, who did the early damage as Bradninch were reduced to 5-3 after six overs and 33-6 after 12! The wickets kept falling, with the final one going down with the home score on 59.

As for the bowling figures; Jeary finished with 4-30 from nine overs, Treleaven returned figures of 3-21 from eight and Mark Phillips, who sent down 11 balls in his 1.2 overs - he bowled two wides and a no-ball - finished with figures of 3-7!

The Tops needed just over 10 overs to register their second win of the season and the game was all over by 3.16pm.

Woodbury and Newton St Cyres were also in E Division East action, but they succumbed to a 158 run home defeat to high-flying North Devon 2nds. The visiting side batted first and closed on an imposing 292-7. Woodbury opening seamers Nalin Chouhan (3-47) and Martin Pearce (2-55) claimed all but two of the wickets to fall between them.

In the reply, Woodbury & Newton St Cyres were bowled out for 134 in 28 overs and one ball with the only double figure score being those from Stephen Boundy (33), Lloyd Lowman (27) and Leighton Dayman (26).

In G Division East, Exmouth III were unable to raise a team for their game at North Devon III and in H Division East, Topsham St James 2nds won a thriller at home to Filleigh II by a margin of six runs. Adrian Ferraro top scored for the Tops with 34 as they were bowled out for 122. However, they defended that total thanks to Ryan Miszka (4-31), Neil Shillabeer (2-18) and Rhys Norman (2-42) as 10-man Filleigh II were bowls out for 116.

Also in H Division East, Woodbury & Newton St Cyres II were beaten by 36 runs on their visit to Exwick II. The home side batted first and closed on 152-4. In reply, Woodbury were bowled out for 122 with their top scores being 29, from Simon Vicary and 26 from Tom Sutherland.