NELSON pulled off one of the shocks of the season so far with a last ball win over defending Transco Lancashire League champions Bacup - and pro Joe Scuderi hopes it's the start of things to come.

The Seedhill side finished second-bottom last summer and were big underdogs going into Saturday's match with many tipping Bacup for a third consecutive title.

But thanks to 56 from professional Joe Scuderi and the cool head of bowler Stuart Lemon, Nelson sealed a stunning two run victory.

And while former Lancashire paid-man Scuderi won't take all the credit for turning Nelson around, his presence has been a huge boost for the side.

"I'd like to think it is a little bit down to me but it is down to the lads.

"We are a young side and the lads have grown up together.

"I think last season they got sick of getting beat week in week out and were determined not to let it happen this time.

"There is a good team spirit here and to get a win over what has been the best team in the league in recent seasons is a huge boost."

After making 174-4, Bacup set off on a roll, opener Peter Thompson making 65.

But a combination of bowling from Danny Kegg, Lemon and Scuderi made sure the champions could never settle down.

And it all came down to the last ball with Bacup needing three for victory facing Lemon - who bowled a dot ball.

"He is only around 17 years old and they needed three but Stuart bowled well. He is an exciting prospect, he is only a young lad and he held his nerve," said the Aussie pro.

"All the lads were dancing around when it happened - and I think I was as well!"

The result will certainly send a few shockwaves around the Lancashire League.

"I was talking to Rishton's Peter Sleep when our game was off on Sunday and I told him we had won and he said 'who did you beat?'" explained Scuderi.

"When I told him Bacup he stepped back, he was pretty surprised! And I am sure there will be a few more who were surprised when they saw that the team who struggled last season had beaten the champions."

The Australian can't put his finger on what has changed in the team although the experienced head of Scuderi must be a huge addition to a squad that struggled with young pro Wade Wingfield last season.

"We bowled well, batted well and fielded well against Bacup, it all came together," he admitted.

"We lost our opening game against Church but that was close as well.

"I'd like to think that people who have been watching Nelson this season will see a totally different attitude than last summer.

"They are up for it, they are a fantastic set of lads.

"They have done all the right things in pre season and I would like to think the team spirit is high and it's probably 60 per cent skill and ability.

"I said to them after the game that if we can beat Bacup we can beat anybody. We have no one to fear if we can beat the best team.

"But it is only two games into the season and no one is getting carried away. I am not going to say we are going to win this, that and the other but we now have the right attitude."

Now it is a case of calming the lads down again as they travel to Enfield on Saturday and welcome Lowerhouse on Sunday.

"We have got to get our feet back on the ground, we do not want any complacency. But it is going alright with the win.

"If we had lost we would have been third from bottom with Accrington and Burnley who have both lost two.

"But now most teams - apart from Haslingden who are strong and Todmorden who have done well with sub pros - have won one, lost one so it is even and we will take it from there."

Scuderi has been relatively pleased with his life back in the Lancashire League after he helped Nelson to the championship and Worsley Cup in his first stint there which started in the early 1990s.

This was followed by two seasons at Colne in 1998 and 1999 and a two-year spell at Old Trafford.

He is enjoying being back at Seedhill and does have a slight eye on breaking his batting record of 1991 where he amassed 1414 runs - although he knows it is a tough ask.

This was especially as he only made three on the opening day against Church.

"I was disappointed with that," he said. "But it was one of those things. I needed to bring the run rate up, I tried to do something about it and it didn't work. It happens.

"So it was a relief to get my first score on the board last week. It is always a relief as you start wondering when it is going to come.

"But I don't know about getting 1400 - that's a lot of runs and it was a long time ago!"