ON A Monday evening nine years ago Marcus Phelan summed up what everybody associated with Nelson thought: ‘’It will be a great night for the club tonight.”

Phelan had just been named man of the match as his side defeated Burnley to win the 2006 Worsley Cup.

Fast forward to the present day, and tomorrow Marcus’ son, Harrison, will hope to assume the role of match-winner and help history repeat itself when the two sides once again meet for the most prestigious honour in the Lancashire League.

And Harrison, an 18-year-old all-rounder, concurs with his dad’s recollections of their win nine years ago.

He said: “I was there on the day they won it, which was against Burnley as well, but I don’t remember too much about it.

“I think I was only seven or eight and the thing that sticks in my mind most is the celebration after.”

Harrison knows full well the challenge his Nelson side face this time around.

Burnley are enjoying a dominant season and are still chasing the Lancashire League quadruple having already claimed the Ron Singleton Trophy and the Moorhouse’s Twenty20.

But he is hoping his dad’s knock of 55 nine years ago, in a final that went over two days, can prove a good omen when the sides meet again on the biggest stage.

“My dad played in the last final and was man of the match. It would be great to follow in his footsteps,” Harrison added.

“My dad still comes to watch pretty much every game and he will be there on Sunday.

“It would be great for me to be in a winning Nelson team and I am sure my dad would enjoy it.

“There are a few of us who have been with the club since we were young lads.

“I started coming down and playing at Nelson when I was four I think, so a lot of us know what it means to get to the final and have come through the ranks together, “It would be amazing if we could win it.”

So who’s the better player? Harrison senior or junior?

“That is the big debate going around the club at the moment,” said Harrison, who has scored more than 500 runs for Nelson in his fledgling career while his dad hit more than 4,000 for Nelson and Colne.

“He likes to think he is better than me but I think maybe I have got a bit more potential!”

Putting family rivalry to one side, Harrison admits that both father and son would love nothing more than a Nelson win come tomorrow night.

And the all-rounder is taking confidence from the league meeting between the sides earlier in the season when Burnley ran out narrow winners.

Harrison added: “We were close to beating them in the league and hopefully we can go one better on Sunday.

“If there is one place we can beat them then it is at home so in that respect it is good for us.

“They will be favourites but I think we have a great chance.

“The pressure will be on Burnley and hopefully we can go out and enjoy it and surprise them.

“Burnley have got a good side with a lot of great players.

“But everyone is really excited and looking forward to the weekend.

“We have struggled in the league in the last couple of years so it is great to have a cup final to look forward to.”

And Nelson have more than just the Phelans as their link to the 2006 triumph.

Three members of that squad – current skipper Neil Thompson, Kharrum Nazir and Rob Meade – will take to the wicket this weekend as the experienced heads in a mainly youthful squad.

And Phelan thinks that mix can prove a positive one on cup final day.

He said: “We have three lads who played in it before and a lot of young lads who are really excited.

“There are a lot of young lads who are looking forward to it.

“It is a huge thing for Nelson.

“I think we have won the competition the most times but we have not been back in a final since 2006 which is a long time.

“It will be a great day for the club and I just hope we can get the win.”