Aythorpe Roding and Tillingham put on a classic low-scoring, top of the table clash with the home side eventually getting the win.

The one-wicket victory moves Roding above Tillingham and into second place in the Mid Essex Cricket League Premier Division, two points behind leaders Rayleigh.

It was a game that had everything, from excellent tactics from both skippers to an overcast afternoon with occasional drizzle looming large over the entire ground.

Home skipper Paul Gravatt won the toss and elected to field first and runs were hard to find for Tillingham with the Aythorpe Roding bowlers keeping things neat and tidy.

Both openers were back in the pavilion after scoring four runs each and it needed Adnan Shafi (39), Michael Gray and Bhavin Patel to wrestle control towards the visitors.

But the Aythorpe Roding spin twins of Ian Bryant and Graham Milbank then took charge, cleaning out the lower order to leave Tillingham all out for 133.

Millbank got 2-38 in his nine overs but it was Bryant who did the main damage, claiming 6-31 in 9.1 overs.

And like the first innings, Aythorpe openers Gravatt and Tom Wharton were back in the clubhouse early, meaning vital runs from the top and middle order were needed.

Andy Clarke (16), Milbank (27) and Jack Stevens (18) got some of them but the home side still found themselves in trouble at 107-9 with 10 overs to go.

However, a superb last-wicket partnership of 28 by Rob Hyams and youngster Luke Wharton played superbly to edge home with nine balls remaining.

Aythorpe Roding to Great Baddow on Saturday.

High Roding suffered a shock defeat to Galleywood to drop out of the top two in the Second Division.

Playing at home, Roding lost the toss and were put into bat, soon finding themselves in real bother at 15-4.

In they end they limped to 130 all out with Angus Burns (20), Freddie Burns (19) and William Davis (31) the only ones to have any joy.

The bowlers did give them hope when they got Galleywood to 55-6 but Zak Hicks and captain Ben Rayner with 66 gave the visitors a four-wicket win.

Burns managed 3-27 with the ball.

The seconds also lost to Writtle, Jamie Smart Roding's stand-out bowler with 4-56.