TRIUMPHANT Darwen skipper Mark Friend is targeting a Lancashire League treble after a comprehensive Worsley Cup win over Church.

In a rain-affected match spread over two weekends, the league newcomers lifted the trophy after a 119-run win at Blackburn Road thanks to 6-11, which included a hat-trick, from spinner John Cordingley.

But Friend is hoping their first Lancashire League trophy can be the first of a hat-trick of trophies this season.

He said: "It's fantastic to get a trophy under your belt early but we're still fighting on two other fronts.

"We're making hard work of the league and there's a lot of big games coming up.

"It was always going to be difficult on that wicket because of the weather but we had to bowl and field well and that's what we did. "John (Cordingley) bowled really well at the end and to get a hat-trick in a final is a great achievement."

And for Cordingley, who was named as the Lancashire Telegraph Man of the Match, it completes a personal treble after he picked up a league and T20 winner's medal with Rishton.

He said: "The weather didn't help the wicket so to get 187 on there was a big ask. "It really helped me so it's a good day for me and the club.

"It's my first hat-trick since I was 18, so get another one in a final is fantastic."

Church started their innings needing 187, thanks to Towers' pro Calvin Savage's 79 last week, to claim the trophy but quickly found themselves in trouble.

And it was compounded when professional Zain Abbas to fell the first ball after a rain break, holing out to Chris Wade.

Church skipper Levi Wolfenden tried to rally his team but struggled to get going on a tough surface.

But when he was bowled by Cordingley, attempting a reverse sweep, for his first wicket, the game was up and the Darwen spinner ran through the tail to see the Towers claim their first Worsley Cup title.