IT'S a nightmare, says Ruardean Hill captain Nick Jayne. Without a win and on present form unlikely to get one, the proud Forest club is having a rough time.

"It happens. We just have to keep going and hope things improve. We are usually up the top and challenging for promotion but this season we are bumping along the bottom," says Jayne.

The loss of half a dozen first teamers has exposed a lack of strength in depth.

Says Jayne: "We have lost half a dozen players, one to Lydney, another to St John's and others are not playing at the moment. It's difficult to know what to do – whether to introduce a lot of young players or fall back on older ones. At the moment we are mixing it up a bit."

However, the Hill still field two teams every Saturday and Jayne is optimistic things will improve.

"The Second X1 is doing reasonably well and have got a couple of wins. The hope is we will recruit some new players and that some of the more experienced players who are not available at the moment will make comebacks," he says.

Saturday's disaster began when Jayne lost the toss. Crescent opted to bat and blasted Ruardean's attack out of the ground, one opener scoring an impressive 160.

"Shane Jones took three wickets and Paul Weaving and myself had a couple apiece, but it was hard going. They were eventually all out in the 42nd over," said Jayne.

Any ideas the Hill had of matching the visitors were blown off course inside six overs. "By then we had lost five wickets for nine runs," said Jayne.

There was some stout defence from Neil Cartwright and Tim Yemm who both scored 20. Richard Hoult top scored with 28.