By Oliver Christie

BURY captain Simon Belston hopes his side can continue their recent run and clinch a Lancashire Knockout place.

Bury beat Standish at the weekend to stretch their unbeaten run to three games in the Bolton Association.

They also leapfrogged their opponents in the league to boost their hopes of clinching one of the four or five Lancs KO spots in their first season in the league.

“It was good to see off Standish. It was a really important result for the club,” said Belston ahead of this weekend’s double header which kicks off with a local derby against a Walshaw side also competing for a place in next year’s Lancs KO. Belston believes his side have the players and the ability to end the season in third, behind top two Atherton and Flixton.

However, a difficult run-in sees them play three of the top five teams in the league including a daunting trip to Flixton.

But a confident Belston says the momentum they have built going into the last four matches is in their favour.

“We fancy our chances against all the teams we will play and we believe we can put a dent in Flixton’s title chances,” he said.

Typical of the Radcliffe Road side’s bullish start to life in the Bolton Association, Belston dismisses any talk of pressure and says he will “lead from the front” in the run-in.

Bury are no strangers to the Lancashire Knockout having experienced it due to their success in the Manchester League before they switched to the Bolton Association this season.

Meanwhile, Atherton will be desperate to return to winning ways at home to Darcy Lever after seeing their lead cut to 17 points after last weekend’s defeat to Adlington.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Atherton v Darcy Lever, Blackrod v Astley & Tyldesley, Bury v Walshaw, Golborne v Adlington, Daisy Hill v Standish, Edgworth v Elton, Little Hulton v Flixton.

Sunday: Standish v Edgworth, Elton v Atherton, Darcy Lever v Golborne, Flixton v Walshaw, Daisy Hill v Bury, Astley & Tyldesley v Little Hulton, Adlington v Blackrod.