Tanner rivals have fingers crossed

HEYSIDE and Bamford Fieldhouse will turn up for Saturday’s Tanner Cup final at Hollin Lane hoping it will be third time lucky.

Rain has already scuppered two attempts to stage the showdown between the Armstrongs Office Furniture Saddleworth and District League’s two most powerful teams.

And, with a bad forecast for the next 48 hours, prospects are not good.

Most cricket pitches are already saturated, groundsmen are having a terrible time preparing wickets and tomorrow’s prediction from the weathermen is for more heavy rain.

The League’s Executive Committee met last night and decided that should the worse happen, the final will take place on Saturday week, September 13.

League action continues – weather permitting – on Sunday when the Tanner Cup finalists battle it out for supremacy in the league.

Last Sunday’s rain scuppered Bamford’s hopes of stealing a march on Heyside, who sat out the action - or rather lack of it - with an open date.

Bamford had to settle for four points from their drawn game against Friarmere so, with two fixtures remaining, the sides are locked together on 296 points.

And both teams have tough matches on Sunday which makes it all the more vital that the weather relents and gives the pair the chance to prove themselves championship material.

Heyside go to third-placed Moorside, while Bamford travel to Uppermill, who are in fourth.

Elsewhere, Austerlands entertain Stayley, Friarmere host Greenfield, Glodwick are at home to Droylsden and Hollinwood have home advantage against Saddleworth.