STAND’S chances of securing back-to-back promotions were dealt a telling blow after they were held to a tie at home to rivals Edgworth.

Victory would have moved Stuart Catterall’s men to within two points of their opponents – who are in the fourth and final promotion place in Division One of the Greater Manchester League.

That looked unlikely as Stand crumbled to 91 all out after batting first. But their bowlers put them on the brink of a shock win, only to fall just short of claiming five precious points.

The tie has left Stand in sixth, seven points outside the promotion places with two matches remaining.

Catterall said: “The lack of a win following on from the washout the previous weekend probably realistically ends our chances of promotion, even though it is still mathematically possible. But the fact we kept a decent crowd involved until the very end shows how we have improved as a team.”

Chris Thomas started the fightback on Saturday, battling hard to 27 as the only Stand batsman to reach double figures in the face of a strong spell of bowling from Edgworth’s Adam Sydall (5-23).

But the Stand bowlers made good use of a pitch that was friendly to spin, and but for Clyde Fortuin, who was run out for 46, they would have claimed another scalp.

Catterall, Ali Azmat, Danish Ateeq and Noman Ahmed took two wickets apiece as Edgworth collapsed from 84-6 to 88-9. But the last men held it together to draw the scores level before Ateeq trapped Chris King lbw to ensure the match ended honours even.