THE Cock needed to win their game at home against Billericay Meadows to get themselves out of the relegation places in Essex Invitation Petanque League division one and they delivered with a 3-0 victory.
That result has pushed Thorley and Bocking Boules into the bottom two with just four league games outstanding.
In division two, Wethersfield Jetts beat team-mates, the Hopps, to take the league title and promotion.
The dropped points for the Hopps has dented their hopes of taking the runners-up spot.
It is now a straight fight between Blackwater U3A, who have finished their matches, and Broomfield FC, who need to win the last divisional game to claim the second promotion slot.
Meanwhile, Essex Invitation League players Nikki Parrish and Trevor Blows took part in the Coates village competition near Whittlesey where they were up against 97 other teams from across the country.
The Essex duo finished a creditable eighth after winning four games.
Their only defeat was 13-11 to Lincoln, having beaten teams from Rutland, Derby, Peterborough and Stevenage.
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