Blackpool 0 Burnley 43

7:36pm Tuesday 11th March 2008

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BURNLEY have secured second place in North Lancs One in emphatic style with a seven-try romp at Blackpool.

Leading scorer Laurie Smith crashed over for five of them with Jonathan Doney and Dave Collinge completing the scoring.

Richard Griffiths slotted over four conversions in blustery conditions.

The one-side victory takes Burnley's winning run to 18 matches and puts them in confident mood ahead of Saturday's Lancashire Plate quarter final clash at league leaders Heaton Moor.

And there could be more good news for Burnley as they find out this week if they have achieved automatic promotion to North Lancs/Cumbria Division.

If not, they face an end-of-season promotion play-off against their Cumbrian counterparts.

Flanker Smith was at his rampaging best against Blackpool and his five try haul took his total to 17 for the season.

With a full squad to pick from and the team firing on all cylinders, chairman Phil Harbour believes this is the best time possible to face Heaton Moor.

"The lads are really up for this cup game," said Harbour. "We are on an incredible run at the moment but that record will really be put to the test at Heaton Moor.

"We are delighted that we have now secured second place but, in truth, we could have won by a lot more.

"It remains to be seen if that has earned us automatic promotion but that is something we will find out this week."

Burnley still have an outside chance of catching leaders Heaton Moor - and Saturday will be an ideal opportunity to test the water.

"Heaton are four points ahead of us and still have to come to our place.

"They are odds-on favourites to win the title and have to slip up elsewhere if we are to stand any chance of catching them.

"But we will definitely be giving it a go."