Openers Viv Narayan and Sravan Konidena hit fifties in a century opening stand only for a mid-innings collapse to precipitate a four-wicket defeat at home to Slough in Home Counties Premier League Division 2.
Narayan followed up his half-century in the opening day win at Bicester & North Oxford with 72 and Konidena made 65 as the pair put on 120 after the hosts had elected to bat.
But the side slumped to 158-6 with left-arm spinner Humza Ishaq (5-39) doing the damage, before the tail wagged to post 224-9 from 50 overs.
Horspath then reduced Slough to 95-4, but some powerful batting in the lower order took the game away from the hosts as the visitors secured victory at 227-6 with 3.3 overs to spare.
Promoted to open the batting after his fine knock a week earlier, Narayan joined Konidena in an excellent first-wicket stand.
Konidena was the first to reach fifty by a smashing a six over long off by the cycle speedway track, before he brought up the century stand with a boundary in the following over.
The pair were closing in on Horspath's record Home Counties opening partnership of 123 set by Jimmy Phillips (81) and Robbie Eason (46) against Amersham two years ago when Konidena came down the pitch to Ishaq and was stumped by Vishnu Solanki. His runs came off 77 balls and included eight fours and two sixes.
Narayan went to his fifty with a single down to long off before a collapse set in with six wickets falling for the addition of just 38 runs as the side slumped to 158-6.
The opener's 99-ball innings, which featured eight fours, ended with the score on 173 when he was bowled by Ishaq to complete his five-wicket haul.
However, Horspath's tail, led by skipper Amin Rafiq (20no) dug in to steer the side to their final total as Sahaan Sahaan finished with 3-41.
With the pitch offering the seamers little in Horspath's innings, Amin opted to take the new ball for Slough's reply and his enterprise was rewarded as he reduced the visitors to 1-1.
But Ishaq (42) and Umair Mushtaq (26) added 72 for the second wicket, before their stand was broken when Konidena had Mushtaq caught in the deep by Jehan Mohammed.
Leg-spinner Josh Richardson (2-34) and wicket-keeper Rob Wight then combined to account for Ishaq and Slough's overseas star, Solanki.
With Pavinder Bhachu retired not out in between through injury, having made just two, the game was evenly balanced.
Horspath's hopes were raised further when Sahaan was caught by Asad Rafiq on the mid-wicket boundary by the hedge off Narayan to make it 136-5.
The Horspath leg-spinner(2-44) struck again with the score on 155 by bowling Mohammed Avas for 34.
But then Yash Lakhani (40no) and Mujtaba Ghayyas (37no) produced some terrific hitting with five sixes between them in an unbroken stand of 72 for the seventh wicket to see Slough home.
Horspath are at home again next Saturday with local rivals Oxford, who made it two wins out of two with a two-wicket victory at home to Bicester & North Oxford, the visitors to the Recreation Ground.
And then on Sunday it's a trip to Langford in the Voneus Village Cup third round and Oxfordshire area semi-final. The prize for the winners is a home tie against Aston Rowant or Tiddington in the regional final.
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