Alex Mace won the toss and chose to bat first.

However his top order failed to back him up, with the exception of Steve Stubbings.

The visitors soon found themselves with four wickets down with just over 30 runs on the board.

Stubbings and John Aspinall did a fine job of repairing the innings, however, taking the score past the hundred mark.

Aspinall fell for a well made 36, but Stubbings continued to hold the innings together.

Stubbings eventually holed out for a very well made 71, and the innings then rather fell away. The visitors were dismissed for 176, and crucially gave the home side three additional overs.

On a pitch giving help to the bowlers, Alfreton still retained hope of coming out on top.

In reply Lullington found batting as difficult, with openers Goodwin and Bridgen both playing and missing at regular intervals.

Alfreton didn’t help themselves with two no balls preventing the dismissal of both openers.

Bridgen was proving to be difficult to dismiss and his 36 proved a vital knock.

Wickets did fall at regular intervals, however, and although the home side looked the likely winners, Alfreton were still in it.

The match was to pivot on two balls with Lullington needing over 40 to win and four wickets left.

Fahad Masood appeared to have Alan Gough caught plum lbw first ball, but the umpire disagreed.

Off the next ball Joe Eaton played a firm inside edge on to his pad and was taken at gully.

Again the umpire did not uphold the decision, to the visitors’ amazement.

Eaton went on an unbeaten 16 as the home side got home in the 51st over.

Alfreton took six points from the match.

They go into the double header weekend with a 35 point cushion from the relegation places. They host Ticknall on Saturday and visit Alvaston on Sunday both matches starting at 12.30, and will hope to secure their future by Saturday night.