Horspath's hopes of progressing on the road to Lord's in the Cawston Press Village Cup disappeared in a shower of sixes and a clatter of wickets for a 147-run defeat at Goatacre in the sixth round.
The 1988 and 1990 national champions made the most of electing to bat on their small Wiltshire ground to post a formidable 280-8 built around a fine 99 by Jitesh Aruva on his seasonal debut.
It was a target that Horspath, of Home Counties Premier Cricket League Division 2, never threatened, collapsing to 133 all out in the last-16 tie, despite a classy 65 from Tom Coleman.
Goatacre, from West of England Premier Cricket League Premier 2 Glos/Wilts, made their intentions clear early on.
Jack Haines (17) smashed consecutive balls for six and two fours, before Ryan Hicks had his revenge when Tom Nichols caught the left-handed opener on the mid-wicket boundary off the next delivery to make it 21-1.
The large Horspath contingent in the 270-plus crowd were cheering again one run later when Goatacre captain Ed Wilkins went without scoring as he edged an Amin Rafiq delivery and Will Eason took a sharp catch at slip.
However, that only served to signal Aruva's arrival at the crease and he set about repairing the damage with opener Toby Horton.
They had added 63 for the third wicket when Tyron Eyles, back in the side following a broken finger, swooped from point to run out Horton (35) as he went for a single with a brilliant direct hit to the bowler's end.
The Oxfordshire champions had done well to hold Goatacre to 100-3 at the halfway point. And there was further joy for the visitors when Toby Kershaw (19) mistimed a pull shot and Eason kept his nerve to take a steepling catch off his own bowling and make it 129-4.
But then Aruva was joined by Adam Tucker for a match-winning stand of 96 for the fifth wicket. They kept the scoreboard rolling, mixing fours and sixes with singles to take the game away from Horspath.
Aruva brought up his half-century with an edge for four through third man, while Tucker reached his 50 in style with successive sixes over long on and mid-wicket.
Rafiq finally broke their partnership when Tucker came down the pitch and was bowled for 52 off 33 balls with four fours and four sixes to leave Goatacre 225-5.
Aruva had moved to within one run of a splendid century when his 96-ball knock, which featured nine fours and four sixes, ended when was he was caught behind by Stephen Green off Liam Turnbull to make it 239-7.
Rafiq was in the midst of an excellent spell and pegged the Dorset & Wiltshire Group winners back with Ewen Kenny chopping on to the pink stumps, before Ross Dixie went in similar fashion to the Horspath captain, attempting a scoop shot.
However, Jif Wilkins ensured Goatacre finished with a flourish. He two sixes - making it 13 maximums in the innings including one into Cobweb Corner - in an unbeaten 18 off 11 balls as he added an unbeaten 29 for the ninth wicket with Josh Baldwin.
Rafiq (4-34) was Horspath's stand-out bowler, while Eason also emerged with credit, returning 1-42 from his eight overs.
The visitors were soon in trouble at 22-3. Nichols played on to Kenny, who then removed Dan Todd with the hero of the last-round win over Clydach caught at mid-off by Ed Wilkins, before Green was bowled by Jif Wilkins.
Coleman and Elliot Ruff attempted to steady the ship with 55 for the fourth wicket. Coleman led the way, hitting six fours off one over, which yielded 25 including a no ball, with a glorious cover drive followed by some cracking shots all around the ground.
However, their stand was broken when Ruff came down the pitch to left-arm spinner Tucker and skied a leading edge to Kenny at point.
Josh Richardson hit a straight six over long on towards the clubhouse before Coleman completed a sparkling half-century with a superb cut for four through backward point.
But Richardson was then caught at the second attempt by wicket-keeper Kershaw after edging a Tucker delivery and it was 96-6 after 20 overs when Rafiq was lbw to Aruva.
Eyles fell to a sensational one-handed diving catch by Ed Wilkins at mid-off to give Tucker his third victim and make it 103-7.
Eason provided some light relief with a mighty six over mid-wicket into a field the other side of the road, before falling for 16 to a good low catch by Ed Wilkins as he attempted to repeat the shot off Kenny.
A mix-up three balls later saw Turnbull run out by Kenny and it was all over for Horspath two balls later when Coleman edged an Archie Atwell delivery into Kershaw's gloves.
His runs came off 60 balls and included 12 fours, while Tucker (3-21) and Kenny (3-26) led the way for Goatacre.
It was the end of Horspath's terrific run in the competition, which had seen the club claim the county crown for the fifth time in six years.
Goatacre, meanwhile, now go through to the quarter-finals where they will be at home to Charlton Kings (Gloucestershire), who beat Temple Cloud (Somerset) by 35 runs, on Sunday, July 19.
All Les Gordon's images from the match are available by clicking here
Horspath CC would like to thank the following 2026 Player Sponsors:
Amin Rafiq (STRONG Pilates Oxford)
Asad Rafiq (STRONG Pilates Oxford)
Will Eason (Oxford Marquees)
Josh Richardson (Steve Richardson)
Tyrone Eyles (Interduct UK Ltd)
Robbie Eason (ARB UK Ltd)
Tom Coleman (RJA & SL Coleman)
Ryan Hicks (Green & Wakefield)
Ehsan Hussain (RMA Properties)
Tom Nichols (Savona Foodservice)
Josh Cummings (Gardiners Opticians)