MIDSOMER Norton dropped to third in the table after losing the most exciting match of the day away against Congresbury in the Bristol/Somerset Division of the West of England Premier League. 

Chasing a target of 293 to win in 50 overs, Midsomer Norton came up short - by only five runs.

Opting to bat first, Congresbury scored 292-8 with openers Peter Woodland (48) and Jack Kearns (120) putting on 176 for the first wicket.

The home side lost three wickets for as many runs before Matt Thomson (31) and Tim Sugumar (44) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 83, taking the score to 262-4. Congresbury then lost five wickets in adding another 17 runs. Callum Harvey finished with figures of 3-54.

Midsomer Norton did not make the best of starts when batting, losing two wickets for 30 runs before Richard Staines (69) and Finn Kelsey (76) shared a third-wicket partnership of 135.

A fourth wicket fell at 200, a fifth at 203 and another at 212 before Harvey (47) and Morgan Skipp (10) took the score to 257.

It was an agonisingly tight finish with Harry Veale (12) and Khavezi Gumede (5) the not out batters at the close.

Elsewhere, Downend maIntained top spot with an eight-wicket win at Weston super Mare while Golden Hill won by 58 runs at Wellington to go second.