ASTLEY Bridge captain David Cryer believes the Bolton League Association division promotion race is heading for a final-day thriller tomorrow.

Rivals Adlington are in pole position and will take the second of the two promotion places if they beat Darcy Lever at home.

If they lose and Astley Bridge beat champions Little Lever at Sharples Park it will be Cryer's team who will join tomorrow's opponents in the Premiership next season.

There is still a chance fourth-placed Tonge could leapfrog both Adlington and Bridge should the latter pair both lose and Tonge win at Eagley.

After such an open promotion race in which as many as six teams were still in with a chance going into the final weeks, it would be something of a surprise if Adlington slipped up at home to the division's bottom team on the final day.

But Darcy, like all the teams in the Association division, have proved anything but easy fodder this season and Cryer expects them to give Adlington a hard game.

"Having spoken to the [Darcy Lever] lads after our game last week, I expect them to fight hard," he said.

"They have already beaten Adlington this year and have no desire to finish at the bottom of the table.

"I expect all three promotion deciding games to go to the wire."

Not that Cryer will be taking Little Lever lightly in any shape or form when Bridge face the team crowned champions last week after winning the league with two games to go.

"We played two games against them in one weekend in June, and in 150 overs there were 900-plus runs," he said.

"They won one by one wicket and we won one by about 10 runs.

"So my expectations of Little Lever won't change. A top set of lads, who play plenty of shots and fight until the last ball of the game."

Cryer believes the pressure is off his side and is confident the future is bright for his club whichever division they are in next season.

"We came to terms with it [promotion] being out of our hands after the defeat to Tonge – we just have to do our bit and see what happens.

"We've got our strongest team out on Saturday, so I expect a game as equally close as our previous two games against Little Lever.

"I expect the Bridge lads to be up for it, but to be pretty relaxed – the pressure isn't really on us.

"I'm proud of the lads this season. There have been a few matches where we weren't at the races and that might ultimately cost us, but we've an average age of 22 and have pushed the likes of Bradshaw close in the cup and beat [Premiership] league champions Walkden by 100 runs, so we can be proud of our efforts.

"That said, we set ourselves the target of promotion, so if Adlington do win on Saturday we will be disappointed to say the least.

"Little Lever have deserved to win the league this year. When their top players haven't performed someone else has stepped up, so congratulations to them.

"And whoever joins them, whether it be Adlington, Tonge or Bridge, will deserve it. It's been a top season.

"Things are looking good at Bridge. The first team have a chance of promotion in the final week, the second team have beaten everyone in sight despite a ridiculously talented Farnworth Social Circle team, and the third team have a chance of promotion in the final weeks. It's a happy club."