IT'S all or nothing for East Lancs tomorrow as they bid to reach the final of the Inter-League Trophy and salvage something from what has been a poor season by their standards.

Andy Clague's side welcome Central Lancashire League title-chasers Radcliffe to Alexandra Meadows where they are hoping for a nice day and a large crowd to cheer them on to the final.

There they could meet Burnley, who themselves face a tough task of trying to upset current Central Lancs leaders Rochdale over in Greater Manchester.

"It is the highlight of our season now," admitted Clague, who is disappointed his side are not challenging for the Transco Lancashire League title for the seventh year running.

In that time they have finished runners-up five times and third in 1999.

And they have enjoyed other cup success, collecting the Worsley Cup in 1998, while ending up as losing finalists in the Inter League Trophy against Haslingden in the same year.

This season though it hasn't gone to plan as East Lancs currently languish in fifth-from-bottom spot, a massive 66 points behind runaway leaders Bacup and they exited the Worsley Cup at the first round stage with a loss to Bacup.

But beating Radcliffe tomorrow and sealing a spot in a final will in some way make up for the disappointment of the summer - and give them their first ever Inter-League Trophy win.

They have already knocked two Central Lancs teams out of the competition this season, beating Ashton and Heywood before removing Church in the quarter-finals.

Now it is a real test to try and oust Radcliffe, a team led by former Haslingden and Ramsbottom all-rounder Steve Dearden who has helped them into third position in the league - six points behind pacesetters Rochdale.

"I know Steve from his days in the Lancashire League. He is a quality player and I have heard they do bat and bowl very well," said Clague.

"I know that they have a good selection of bowlers which is needed with the restrictions on bowlers in the cup competitions but apart from that, I don't know too much about them.

"I will be trying to find out a bit more as hopefully if we know their strong and weak points we can expose them.

"But anybody who has got this far is no mug.

"The main thing for us is to worry about ourselves and hopefully make a final."

Clague was happy, after a disappointing loss to Burnley on Saturday, that his team bounced back to enjoy a victory over Church on Sunday.

"We haven't been too great over the last couple of weeks so it was good to finish with a win as it gives us a better feeling going into this weekend."

And on home soil, they could just have the advantage.

"Hopefully, we will get a decent crowd to support us and we will try and entertain."

And dare he think about a possible final date?

"I don't want to. We obviously know Burnley well and they have a talented side.

"We don't know too much about Rochdale apart from they are a strong team in their league. We lost a bowl out to them a few years ago, so it would be nice to play a proper match against them."

FIXTURES, Inter-League Trophy semi-finals: East Lancs v Radcliffe; Rochdale v Burnley.