IT all started so well for Stand, with Saturday's home victory over fellow strugglers Middleton.

The weather had reduced the game to 25 overs per side, with Stand reaching 112-6.

Khan topscored with 42 not out, ably assisted by opener Sam Warren (26) and Dave Taylor (24).

Chief wicket-taker for the Moonrakers was paid man Sajith Fernando with 4-38.

In reply the Middleton's' opening pair of Kumara and Buckley put on 26 for the first wicket.

Paid man Fernando joined Kumara and they added a further 26 before the pro fell victim to Eddie Shah.

That signalled a collapse with the remaining eight wickets falling for just 56 runs, as pro John Seedle (4-19) and Shah fizzed through the Middleton order ensuring they only just reached 108.

But up against Littleborough at Hare Hill on Sunday, Stand lost what can only be described as a strange game.

It didn't help starting the game with just nine players, the other two still making their way from a morning game.

But it seemed to make little difference as they removed Boro opener Jordan Bamford in just the second over, caught by Carl Sutcliffe off a Pete Sherlock delivery.

It then got even better when Craig Ferguson then caught Alex Collins, putting the home side on just 4-2. A couple of balls later Sutcliffe caught Gary Hulme, again off a Sherlock ball, and Boro were on a measly 4-3.

But stand-in pro Andre Adams decided enough was enough and began to hit out more aggressively when he was joined at the crease by Nigel Hunter.

Adams was finally caught by Dave Taylor of an Eddie Shah ball, but not before he'd added 42.

Seedle then claimed the wicket of Danny Francis, but Hunter went on to claim his half-century.

However, with the score on 114 Deakin fell, caught by Sutcliffe, he was followed shortly afterwards by Hunter, Grindrod and Bood to leave Boro on 147-9.

But Stand were then frustrated by the tenth wicket partnership of Callum Rushton and Brendan Miskella, it shepherded the home side to a total 196-9, with Shah (4-88) and Sherlock (3-24) the pick of the Stand bowlers.

In reply Stand made a poor start, with both Dave Wright (4) and Chris Moorhead (9) caught behind.

Hope was restored when Ferguson and Seedle put on 77 before Seedle was caught by Bamford. Two overs later Ferguson was caught by Hunter on the boundary.

Kiwi Adams then proceeded to tear into Stand's batting order, taking the wickets of Taylor (1), Sutcliffe (0) and Shah (0) in quick succession to leave the visitors on 85-7. Bond (6) and Sherlock (14) managed to add a further 17 runs before Bond was caught by Bood.

Jack Ritchie's wicket was then claimed by Adams (5-16) to complete a win for Boro that at times had had looked far from possible