IVYBRIDGE were made to work harder than they anticipated for a 27-run win over table-proppers Bideford.

When Bideford slumped to 22 for four chasing 169 to win, Josh Coker (2-17) and Tinashe Muchawaya (2-20) taking two wickets each, it seemed an early finish was on the cards.

Bideford’s middle order had other ideas and the efforts of Alex Hannam (66 and Lukanyo Metu (52) got them up to 131 for five.

Arthur Johnson trapped Metu lbw and that was the beginning of the end for Bideford.

Johnson went on to take four for 22 as the visitors collapsed to 141 all out. They lost their last five wickets for just ten runs.

Harry Solomon top scored for Ivybridge with 48 not out in a team total of 168 for nine on a bowler-friendly green top at Filham. Abraham Kopparambil made 27 of the first 58 in the book and there was a rapid 26 down the order from Muchawaya.

Wicket-taking was shared between Josh King, Jack Ford, Metu and Martin Stuart.