FOOTSCRAY Edgewater has slipped to 14th on the Victorian Premier Cricket ladder after suffering a four-wicket loss at the hands of Fitzroy Doncaster on Saturday.
Having set the Lions just 182 for victory, the Footscray bowlers were in search of quick wickets when play resumed.
While opening bowler Hamish Winter-Irving kept the runs to a minimum early, it was Lucas Dredge who snapped up the first wicket of the day when he removed Matthew Bremner.
Fitzroy captain Lloyd Mash followed soon after as the score slipped to 3/37 and Footscray forced its way into the contest.
However, the momentum was short lived as Timothy Sheehan and Peter Dickson combined for a match-winning partnership.
The pair added 74 runs to see the majority of the target evaporate.
By the time Dickson was dismissed by Michael Kelly for a well-made 49, the damage had been done and Fitzroy collected the remaining runs to secure the victory.
Sheehan finished the match on 74 not out.
Footscray Edgewater coach Barry Neivandt was happy with the way his side bowled and paid credit to an impressive Fitzroy outfit.
“They had two guys who really just put their heads down and just batted for time,” he said.
“I thought we bowled reasonably well early and got some breakthroughs but they were able to bat really sensibly.”
After two weeks in the Footscray second XI, Winter-Irving was back to his best and finished with the figures of 4/29 from 18 overs.
Dredge and Kelly were the only other wicket takers to finish with one each.
With two rounds left in the home-and-away season, Neivandt said he still had goals for the playing group.
“We talked about it a couple of weeks ago and the big thing for us is, we certainly want to finish off with wins,” he said.
“As part of that, bowling in certain areas and creating chances by being disciplined and tight with the ball and hitting wood is what we are working towards. Whether that is hitting the wood of the stumps or hitting the edge of the bat, that is where we are at.”
Footscray will take on Richmond in round 18 this week.
