HOLDERS Darwen are determined to keep their hands on the Worsley Cup prize, and hope to take a step closer to achieving their goal this weekend.

Tomorrow the Birch Hall side travel to Crompton for their first meeting with the Lancashire League newcomers in the quarter finals.

And captain Mark Friend is hoping to avoid the kind of surprises they sprung on the competition with last season’s success in their debut campaign.

“It’s one we want to retain,” said Friend of the cup.

“Teams have done it in the past so it’s not unachievable and everyone has got confidence.

“We believe we are a strong side in the cups because of our strength in depth.

“We’ll be putting the best team out possible, like every other game.”

As for the league, though, they aren’t looking too far ahead.

Last season’s runners up sit second with seven wins from eight games.

After a close run with eventual winners, and fellow league debutants Clitheroe, Friend is happy to take each game as it comes.

“We need to do the little things right and just concentrate on the next game and seeing what that brings,” he said.

“We’re giving it our best shot though, and staying competitive in all competitions, which makes for a busy schedule but we’ve got the numbers to cope.

“It’s different this season with a lot more new teams, with some of them still yet to play.”

Crompton, tomorrow’s Worsley Cup quarter final opponents, are among them.

“We know a few of their players and we’ve looked at results but not looked at them too closely because anyone can beat anyone on their day in this league," said Friend.

“The Burnley v Church game at the weekend goes to show that every game is competitive.”

Church caused something of an upset by recording a four-wicket win at Turf Moor.

Friend and co will be aware of a potential backlash when they host Burnley at Birch Hall in the league on Sunday.

But rather than over-concern themselves with the opposition they prefer to focus on their own strengths, notably rising stars Reece Willets and Tobias Ramwell.

“Reece has played regularly for us this year after a good season with the seconds,” said Friend.

“He’s at Myerscough College so he’s had a lot of training over the winter and scored a few runs. He’s aggressive with no fear.

“Tobias has played in the T20 and Lancs Knockout Cup. He’s bowled really well and got a few wickets.

“Everyone has dovetailed well though. We aren’t relying heavily on one person to perform, which is good. Everyone is performing as and when required and we’re playing well together as a team as a whole.

“Everyone has shared responsibility.”

As a result, Friend believes they are a stronger force this year than last, despite challenging on all fronts even then and only just falling short in the league and T20 cup.

“Everyone is giving an extra 10 per cent which has made us that much more competitive,” said the skipper.

“We are scoring more runs. This weekend we scored over 800 runs in three games, which is a club record if not a league record.

“As a unit we are stronger, we’re playing a lot better cricket than last year and we’re still competing in all four competitions.”

In the other quarter final ties, Rishton host Burnley, Todmorden entertain Ramsbottom and Lowerhouse are at Norden.