SANDFORD’S up and down form this season continued when they lost by four wickets to visiting Barton.

Opener and captain Ryan Glass top scored with 44 for Sandford, who were bowled out for 151 by Barton with left-arm spinner Stuart Bowker taking five wickets for six runs to finish them off.

Mark Gilmour’s half-century got Barton off to a flying start, leaving Matin Lipton (25) and Tom Porter (28) to finish the job.

Defeat drops Sandford down to fourth from bottom, 12 points clear of the relegation zone.

Barton are joint third, just three points behind Budleigh in the second promotion slot behind runaway leaders Bradninch.

Sandford’s problem against Barton was a succession of single-figure scores from the middle-order as Bowker mowed them down.

Glasws had been and gone when Shane Evendon was fourth out at 97 – the first of five wickets to go for 21 runs as Sandford collapsed. Shaun Hawkins (34) was among the casualties.

Former captain Jamie Palmer made 21 not out going in at number nine and his last-wicket stand of 33 with Shaun Fryett made the tally a bit more respectable.

Barton opener Alex Hunt went caught behind in the third over to Palmer (2-20), but a stand of 77 between Gilmour and Lipton put the visitors in the driving seat.

Sandford briefly got back in the game with Simon Ashplant (2-37) among the wickets on his return from New Zealand after nearly two years away.

Porter and Jaryd Seiffert (14) took Barton from 113 for five to 151 for six in a stand that put the result beyond doubt.

Sandford face a tricky trip to Lewdown this Saturday.