CHERRY Tree captain David Hayes is hoping the club can attract some young blood to keep the trophies coming back to Preston Old Road.

The Jennings Ribblesdale League side have tasted success over the last few seasons but Hayes fears the side of '30-somethings' might soon give up the ghost.

Cherry Tree have won the Ramsbottom Cup twice in the last four season and have been challenging for the title every year since they last won it 1997.

"We are all growing old together," said Hayes. "We have always finished in the top three or four over the last few years but we might need new blood to keep that going.

"We have quite a few players in their mid-thirties -- me included -- who might be thinking we need a few to come through, especially if some of those player decide they don't want to play any more."

Luckily, the signs are good for the club that has an Under 11s side that is unbeaten this season and has some promising youngsters in the Under 13s.

"Unfortunately it is going to be a few years until these players come through," Hayes said.

"It is certainly not difficult to get youngsters to come to our training sessions. We have quite a few down on Thursday evenings.

"The Under 11s are strong and we have a few good lads in the Under 13s.

"A lad called Paul Snape has just joined us from Feniscowles and he has already played a couple of games in the second team.

"He looks a good prospect.

"And we have a couple of lads coming through from the second team at the moment."

Cherry Tree currently lie second in the Ribblesdale League table and Hayes knows tomorrow's game against fifth-placed Baxenden could be crucial.

"It is tight at the top and Baxenden are up there as well. It will be a tough game because we are struggling again with players missing.

"Gary Bolton, who is a key player, has missed the last couple of games through illness and Andreas Sudnik and Paul Reed are on holiday.

"It seems like every week we have three or four players missing.

"Everyone has problems with players going on holiday in July and August but we seem to have it more than most at the moment."

Hayes reckons a defeat tomorrow could have disastrous consequences.

"It is a crucial game because if we don't win we could drop half way down the league," he said.

"This year everyone has been saying how much closer the title race is and it is true.

"It is definitely closer than it has been in the last few years.

"In the last three or four years you would be able to look at the fixtures and pick out who was going to win each game but it has not been like that this year.

"I think the weather has played a part in that as well, though."

Fixtures: Baxenden v Cherry Tree, Clitheroe v Whalley, Earby v Blackburn Northern, Edenfield v Great Harwood, Read v Barnoldswick, Ribblesdale Wanderers v Oswaldtwistle Immanuel, Settle v Padiham