Valley's 2007-08 cricket season had not quite reached desperation mode heading into round five, but it was in the vicinity.
Valley, the defending Borton Cup champions, got off the schneid and relieved the building pressure with their first win of the year, a comprehensive 114-run win over second-placed Union at Weston Park on Saturday.
The country boys had just a tie result against Albion in round three to show after four rounds of North Otago senior cricket and were in danger of losing touch with the top four.
A text message from stand-in captain Mark Patterson to team mates on Wednesday confirmed the team's growing desperation: "We really need to get a win to get our season on track guys. Time to get serious"
And Valley get serious from the opening partnership on Saturday.
Returning opener Kelvin Mansfield and Geoff Smith paired for a season-high 93-run opening stand as Valley eclipsed 200 for the first time this season, with 207-4 from their 45 overs.
With rep bowler John Blakely ripping the spine out of the Union's top-order with three early wickets, Union's vaunted batting line-up were rolled for 93 in the 30th over.
Blakely finished with a downright stingy 4-10 from 10 overs, including four maidens, while Scott Young chimed in with 2-26 from five overs. Opener Glynn Cameron was the only Union batsman to score 20+ with 26 as five of their top six batters failed to score.
Valley had Union 56-7 before captain Paul Johnston hung around in the drawn-out finish, ending with 18 not out. So bad was Union's innings, that wide's top-scored with 33 among 37 extras.
"We're absolutely delighted" Patterson said. "We didn't want to go through the whole first round without a win and there was definitely a different feeling in the changing rooms afterwards."
"We are pretty happy, it hasn't been a great start and we're been missing players. And we played really well too. The guys that stepped in did the job and the regulars stepped up as well.
After Mansfield departed to a sharp catch from Thomas Shields for 29, Smith continued on to post 78 and took Valley past the 150 mark. Number three Geoff Mavor added 26.
Both sides were depleted, Valley without opener and captain Nick Webster, James McNally, Dan van der Slam, Stan Mansfield, Neil Gilbert and Byron Neale and Union missing Andy McCulloch, Mitchell McRae, Duncan Drew and playing with an ill Mike Ormandy.
The win pulled Valley within a win of fourth place as they moved out the standings' basement for the first time.
Extras almost cost Oamaru in their tied Payne Tempero Trophy defence against Waitaki Boy's High first XI at their home Excelsior ground.
Defending 165, Oamaru - the current Borton Cup leaders by 15 points - bowled 26 wide's and allowed 18 byes in the absence of regular keeper Josh Gutsell, almost gifting the schoolboys the silverware. WBHS also gave up 31 extras, including 28 wades in the field.
Regan George's 45, his 81-run second wicket partnership with Khalil-ur-Rehman and David Tonkin's late order 29 helped Oamaru through to 165 from 43.3 overs. Miles Medlicott took 5-26 in his best bowling performance this season as Oamaru collapsed from 87-1 to 95-5. James McAuslin claimed 2-17 from 4.3 overs and Stuart Dickinson 2-26 from 10 overs.
At the showground's, captain Robbie Smith tried to put together a brave face on St Kevin's College first XI's run chase against Albion.
Following Brad Kernahan's century in Albion's 238-6, Smith struck 58, including five sixes and two fours, as SKC's only innings of substance. The schoolboys were 13-2 when Smith strolled out, pacing them through to 104 before being dismissed, the innings ending at 116 in the 29th over.
Blair Rawson put himself in line for a rep call-up with 5-18 from eight overs, four from bowled dismissals. Dylan Winter and Kernahan each took two wickets with economical figures.
Scoreboards
North Otago Senior
Valley 207-4 (Geoff Smith 78, Kelvin Mansfield 29, Geoff Smith 26) Union 93 (Glynn Cameron 26, Paul Johnston 18no, John Blakely 4-10, Scott Young 2-26). Win to Valley by 114 runs.
Oamaru 165 (Regan George 45, David Tonkin 29, Khalil ur-Rehman 22, Miles Medlicott 5-26, James McAuslin 2-17, Stuart Dickinson 2-26) Waitaki Boy's High 165 (McAuslin 31, Jordan Horrell 29, David Sewell 4-15, Paul Selbie 3-49). Match tied.
Albion 238-6 (Brad Kernahan 111no, Paul Odell 34, Gareth Duncan 29, Jason Greaney 24, Ben Cant 3-36, Brent O'Connor 2-33) St Kevin's College first XI 116 (Robbie Smith 58, Blair Rawson 5-18, Dylan Winter 2-17, Kernahan 2-19). Win to Albion by 122 runs.
East Otago
McRaes 156 (Alistair Sutton 95, Alistair Hope 16, Steve Pringle five for 44, Tim Miller one for 44) Ranfurly 147 (Kris Miller 29, Vaughan Dowling 19, Hope four 34, Chris Vickery two for 25, Logan Dowling two for 28, John Harvey two for 33). Win to McRaes by 9 runs.
North Otago Senior Reserve
WBHS 2nds 113 (C Robertson 42, Ricky Whyte 3-16) Albion 114-2 (Brent Maxwell 61no, N Hill 2-30). Win to Albion by 8 wickets.
North Otago Second Grade
Valley 221-7 (J Frew 82no, R McNally 50) Albion Blue 134 (M Rodgers 44no, B Newlands 26, J Mallinson 24, B Newlands three for 41, A Fisher two for 27). Win to Valley by 87 runs.