Reed boosted their survival hopes in the Herts Cricket League Championship as they picked up their first win of the season in dramatic fashion - winning by three runs.

Hosting Dunstable Town, the home side had a horrible start, losing both openers in the first 10 balls.

Max Sanderson and Rob Lankester rescued them, both striking 45 and scoring nine boundaries and three maximums between them.

They were ably supported by Jack Caine (17) and Sam Osborne (15) yet when the latter was out on the stroke of lunch, 139-4 became 159 all out as Dunstable's spinners cruised through the lower order.

This seemed well below par as Dunstable calmly moved to 70-1 but it was then that Osborne struck, brilliantly picking up and throwing down the wicket of Sam Cherry.

Two more wickets fell at the same score, including Australian Deon Billington bowled by Jack Tidey for a golden duck.

Tidey once again tied down one end, bowling 16 overs on the spin and finishing with 2-43.

Another partnership took the visitors beyond 100 until Julian Fynn played a match winning performance, taking 4-35 as Dunstable lost their last four wickets for 11 runs.

When the ninth wicket fell, nine was required and five tense overs ensued as they inched towards victory.

A dropped slip catch seemed to signal another defeat for Reed but finally Tidey swooped to catch Jack Kilduff (39) before he could rain on Reed's party.

The victory leaves Reed 22 points behind Redbourn and a further 19 behind Hemel Hempstead Town.