TURTON are on course for a double trophy win this season, following their penalty shootout victory that saw them reach the Richardson Cup final.

The Tigers booked their second appearance at Lancashire FA headquarters with goalkeeper Josh McGreavy saving three spot-kicks after their 1-1 draw with Blackpool Wren Rovers.

Craig Jones will lead his side out at Leyland for the West Lancashire League Cup final on April 23, and they will return there for the Lancashire FA Shield final on May 1.

And the Turton boss is confident they can complete a cup double to make it a very satisfying first season in charge.

“It would be hard to say who deserved to go through in the semi-final,” he told The Bolton News. “It wasn’t the best game in the world to watch, we weren’t at our best but we keep managing to find something from somewhere.

“A lot of what we have worked on here has been about making the lads feel valued and increasing their confidence and in the main it’s paying dividends in terms of our performances and work rate.

“We went behind to the softest goal from a long kick by their goalkeeper and for 20 minutes we forgot what we were all about, we kept going long and we needed to have a bit of time on the ball and get the confidence back up.

“We got back to 1-1 just before half time through Luke Bradbury and, if anyone deserved a goal in an important game, it’s him.

“He plays in the middle of our front three, does a lot of work with his back to goal and he’s so selfless in what he does for the good of the team.

“We put two substitutes on as well in the second half, Moses Yoak and Sam Rigby and they were fantastic.

“Sam was involved in the goal and he’s proved he is more than able to make the step up from the reserves, he’s taken his opportunity brilliantly.”

Though Turton dominated the second half they could not make the breakthrough, leading to a penalty shootout, and McGreavy made himself the hero with three successive saves.

Jones was never in doubt about what an advantage penalties would be for his side, though.

His treble gave Osman Karacan the chance to convert the Tigers’ fifth spot-kick, which he did to send them through with a 3-2 win.

“I was massively confident going into penalties,” added Jones. “With Josh in goal we always felt we were in with a good chance, he deserves all the praise he’s been getting in the last few weeks. I was over the moon for him.

“I said to the others he was always going to save one so all we had to do was take care of our own penalties.

“We made hard work of it but when Josh is saving three it takes the pressure off a bit – not that we’ll be playing for penalties in the final.”

Turton will play Coppull United in the League Cup final, the team they knocked out in the final-four match in the Shield competition, and Jones says the task now is to keep everyone on their toes with places in two cup finals up for grabs.

“We’re six points off the top of the league,” he said. “It’s a big ask to catch up and close that gap but everyone’s smiling at the minute.

“We have to stay focused, starting with Haslingden this Saturday because there is still a lot to play for.”

Turton’s Premier Division neighbours Tempest United won 2-1 at Vickerstown on Saturday.

Peter Lancaster and Kurtis Farlow were on target as Tempest moved to sixth in the table.

In the game of the day in Division One, Eagley beat Wyre Villa 5-4 but Stoneclough lost 4-2 at home to Lostock St Gerards.

Nathan Strong rescued a point for Atherton LR in the Hallmark Security League First Division North, equalising late in their 1-1 draw with Nelson.

In the Lancashire Amateur League Premier Division, Thornleigh gave their survival hopes a shot in the arm with a 2-0 win at fellow strugglers Rossendale but Blackrod Town lost 3-1 to Whitworth Valley.

Little Lever were beaten 3-2 by visitors Old Mancunians but Old Boltonians were 2-1 winners at home to Burnley Belverdere.

Horwich RMI won 3-0 in their Division One game at Ashtonians while Bolton Wyresdale drew 1-1 with Failsworth Dynamos Reserves.