COLWALL returned to form and picked up an important win to push their county rivals further into trouble at the foot of the Worcestershire League Division One.

Burghill, Tillington & Weobley are now falling away from the pack at the foot of the table and are already 24 points short of 10th-placed Pedmore while Colwall are eight, just three points short of being in a more comfortable sixth place.

Colwall skipper Ben Cooke won an important toss but things did not immediately go the way of the visitors after choosing to field in a contest reduced to 36 overs a side by the damp conditions.

Ryan Knight (17) and Ben Owens (34) gave the home side a promising start with Owens finding their boundary eight times.

But paceman Michael Gooch (2-34) dismissed him and skipper Ben Parkinson in quick succession.

And then Phil Richardson followed up the dismissal of Knight by sending Clive Chadhani back to the pavilion for a duck and Sam Williams for just two in a five-over spell which brought him 3-22 and left the home side floundering at 58-5.

Former Burghill skipper Owen Morgan (21) and Joseph Madyembwa (27) battled hard in an attempt to repair the damage but when both departed, the innings fell away badly.

James Febery was the instigator of the later collapse with a stint of 4-26, including three wickets in his final over while Nick Brown (1-4) was also a wicket-taker as the home side were rushed out for 127 in 29 overs.

Cooke, who moved up to open the innings, was quickly sent on his way by Joel Aldridge (1-17) for eight but his opening partner Ben Febery was joined by Brown in what proved to be the day's decisive stand.

Febery cracked two fours and two sixes before falling to Clive Chadhani (1-23) for 41.

But Brown battled on despite the loss of Colin Cameron, bowled by James Burston (1-41) for three, and with some solid assistance from Ben Wheeler, who hit four fours in his unbeaten 20, guided the visitors to a seven-wicket success in the 32nd over.

Brown remained unbeaten with 51, which included five fours and three sixes.

Colwall will be hoping to build on their win by seeing off visiting Feckenham, who are just a place above them in the table, on Saturday.

Burghill, Tillington and Weobley, meanwhile, can also improve their position if they can gain a positive result from their trip to Feckenham, who are in 10th place.