DARWEN and Great Harwood Town meet in the semi-final of the NWCL Division Two Trophy tonight with both managers entering the game with different priorities.

While Darwen boss Steve Wilkes will put out his strongest side for the first leg clash at the Anchor Ground, Great Harwood counterpart John Hughes will again use the Trophy to blood his fringe players.

Wilkes will pick from a full squad that includes fit again Dennis Hill and Neil Almond, who is back from suspension. In contrast, Hughes is prepared to shuffle his pack and give a run-out to his latest signing, 18-year-old Neville Nelson, whose recent hat-trick guided Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School to the final of the Independent Schools FA Cup final.

Both legs have been brought forward to Friday nights (ko 7.45pm) to try to attract a decent crowd and Wilkes says the local derby has the potential to be a real cracker.

He said: "We are really up for this one. I've got a full squad to pick from and will be putting out the strongest team possible. After all, there is a cup final place up for grabs.

"I've got a selection problem because I have so many players available.

"But for a manager that is a nice problem to have."

Darwen's last cup final appearance came in 1999 when they lost on penalties to Morecambe in the ATS Trophy. Since then, their cup form has been poor.

"That is something we need to turn around and now we have got a great chance. Some people don't give as much emphasis to the cup competitions as they do to the league. But we're now at the semi-final stage and you have to take it seriously."

Hughes is without the injured Darren Rogers and Paul Goldthorpe while Andrew Taylor is a doubt.

But the Showground boss has signed Liam Denning from Salford, who is available alongside Nelson.

Hughes said: "I've used this cup competition to play my fringe players and I won't be afraid to do it in the semi-finals. My main priority is the league and that is still the case now.

"The cup is my only opportunity to see those players in action and it has worked because the likes of Liam Fryer have shown what they can do. Neville is young but he is a strong lad and I won't be afraid to give him a run-out."

Another player recruited from local league football, Lee Smith, is unavailable for the first leg while leading scorer Paul Mashiter is touch-and-go.

The second leg will take place at the Showground on Friday, February 13.

Great Harwood boss John Hughes is calling for Ramsbottom United to be thrown out of the NWCL Cup after playing an ineligible player in their quarter-final clash.

The league has ordered the game to be replayed after the Rams drafted in Bamber Bridge keeper Graham Bennett as emergency cover for a game Great Harwood lost 2-1. The move was against the rules as he was signed from a club from a higher division.

Hughes said: "Ramsbottom have broken the rules and in my opinion they should be thrown out. I will be writing to the league to put our point across. Neil Kennedy was sent off in that game and now he has to serve a suspension. But if the game is void then surely Neil's ban should be quashed as well."