DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes is hoping to bury the hatchet with his Bacup counterpart Brent Peters when the two meet at the Anchor Ground in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase tomorrow.

Wilkes is keen to put the two year 'feud' behind him when the two NWCL Division Two sides clash.

"When you see the atrocities that are going on in the world, with what happened last week, football means nothing. It is trivial," said the Darwen boss.

"I am aiming to shake Brent Peters' hand and let by-gones be by-gones."

It all started when the Darwen boss took exception to some comments the Bacup manager had written in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

"It was about two seasons ago and we were in with a shout of going up and we were playing Bacup the next day," said Wilkes. "He put in the paper that he would do everything in his power to stop us going up which was the root of the problem.

"When we meet in the league we tend not to speak. But it has gone on for long enough now."

Bacup manager Peters has played down any animosity between the pair.

He said: "I haven't got a problem with Darwen or with Steve Wilkes. It's a load of nonsense, it just makes good publicity.

"I think the press has made something of it because we both speak our minds.

"He hasn't liked some things I've said in the past but if something has happened I'll express my opinion on it.

"In fact Steve Wilkes once paid me the greatest compliment when he said I was the most hated man in the league because when you are up there challenging you are not well liked.

"Alex Ferguson isn't well liked outside of Manchester and that is because he is a winner.

"When you are down at the bottom struggling that's when everyone says what a nice bloke you are."

Managers aside, the game promises to be an entertaining clash as a derby and a cup-tie.

"I'll let my players go out there and do the talking," continued Peters. "The omens are in favour of Darwen because we always seem to go out of cup competitions in the first round.

"The last two league games were highly contested games, there was no malice, we just went out to play football and that is what I'll expect on Saturday.

"It's a pity we have been drawn together because it means that an East Lancashire club won't get through to the next round."

While Bacup may tip Darwen as favourites for the game, Wilkes has other ideas.

"In the five years I have been here we have won one Vase game. This is the furthest I have been with having a bye in the last round.

"It has been frustrating as I know how much the Vase means. I went to the semi-final with Bamber Bridge in 1992, we were one game from Wembley, and it would be great if Darwen could have a run. It is the prestige of the competition and we want to go as far as we can."

Darwen are without centre half Matt Atkinson who is suspended for ten weeks. Phil Rose and Dennis Hill have been struggling with flu but could make it. For Bacup, Wayne MacKenzie will miss the game with a hamstring injury.