Crunch time at top and bottom

Saeed Anwar batting for Crompton.

CLL PREVIEW
WITH only nine fixtures remaining, the race for honours and promotion, and the scrap to avoid relegation are well and truly on.

Norden and Walsden have the Premier Division title battle between them, but it’s the other end of the table which most interests cricket watchers in this area.

Only one team will go down this season and the prime contenders are Werneth, Royton and Rochdale.

Bottom club Werneth are away to Royton tomorrow and know that defeat would leave them with a mountain to climb in order to beat the drop.

But if the hosts were to succumb, then the gap between the sides would be seven points at the very most.

The following day sees Werneth hosting mid-table, but resurgent Clifton, while Royton have a huge task at Walsden.

Crompton have been reeling off the wins in the Championship, but they can’t seem to break into the top two promotion places.

That’s down to the fine form of second-placed Unsworth who, like Crompton, have leapt above Milnrow.

Crompton will be without professional Josh Tolley on Sunday as he is on duty for Cumberland.

However, the Glebe Street men have a solid replacement in their former paid man Saeed Anwar, who is the pro at Bolton League side Bradshaw.

Leaders Monton and Weaste must be casting anxious eyes over their shoulders and it could get even more fidgety for them if Crompton beat Oldham at home tomorrow and win at Milnrow 24 hours later.