AFTER opening the season with two home wins Ribblesdale Wanderers take to the road tomorrow as they head to Read, hoping to maintain their 100 per cent start in the Jennings Ribblesdale League.

Beating Padiham and Oswaldtwistle Immanuel has been the perfect boost for the club as they try to put last season's disappointments of finishing 11th behind them.

And having missed the first two games of the season because of football commitments, skipper Terry Braithwaite is looking forward to getting back into the fray and help keep the good run going.

"It has been a good start, especially after last season," admitted the man who has returned to the club after a couple of seasons at Rishton.

"It is good to be back because this is my home club and I can't wait to get playing again."

Wanderers struggled last season as the defending champions and Braithwaite claimed: "Following on from the year the club won the league can be hard as every team wants to beat the reigning champions.

"The pro (Shahid Nawaz) had a bad season and in a way that dragged everyone down.

"In the winter we lost some players but others have come in and we have got some promising youngsters who will get the chance to make their mark."

The skipper believes the trip to Read will be a good test of how they are progressing. "I know they had a blip against Padiham last week but I expect them to be in the top three," he said.

Ribblesdale will be forced to make a change as in-form opener John Rain is unavailable and so 19-year-old Martin Peel is set to be pushed up the order.

"He has been batting at six but he will probably open," said Braithwaite. "John and the pro have been in great form this season, each with more than 100 runs from the first two games, but this is a chance for Martin to show what he can do."

David Howard is still missing with his injured knee but left arm spinner Braithwaite is just hoping that the sun will be shining on his first game of the season.

Elsewhere Clitheroe and Blackburn Northern, both winners last weekend, will clash at Chatburn Road.

Earby, who beat Whalley last weekend, travel to Baxenden while Oswaldtwistle hope to beat Barnoldswick.

Jennings Ribblesdale League fixtures for Saturday May 4: Baxenden v Earby; Cherry Tree v Settle; Clitheroe v Blackburn Northern; Great Harwood v Edenfield; Oswaldtwistle Immanuel v Barnoldswick; Read v Ribblesdale Wanderers; Whalley v Padiham.