WINNING trophies has become something of a habit at Cherry Tree but Monday night's Ramsbottom Cup victory over Settle was a sweet moment for Mark Butler.

The PE teacher at QEGS took over from David Hayes a couple of games into the new season and got the chance to be first to lift the coveted trophy.

Cherry Tree have been a dominant force in the Jennings Ribblesdale League with now three cup wins in the last six years and they are going for their third league title in the same time.

They won the double in 1997 and have a chance of doing it again but face a tough last five games with Barnoldswick, Read, Earby and Settle harbouring hopes of clinching the crown.

Butler came to Cherry Tree at the start of the double winning season, having come through the junior ranks with England's Dominic Cork in Staffordshire.

Cork then moved on to Derbyshire while Butler came over to Lancashire, first with Lancashire League side East Lancs and then linking up with the Preston Old Road club.

And there has been no looking back as he had won honour after honour before becoming skipper of the Blackburn side.

"It was a proud moment for me and the club," he admitted. "David resigned as captain three or four games into the season and I took over so really I have been captain all season.

"I have enjoyed it and winning the Ramsbottom Cup certainly made it more enjoyable."

Tree had young bowler Andreas Sudnick to thank for their success after the game was carried over from Sunday.

They had reached 191-8, Gary Bolton making 58, before Settle resumed on 64-3 at Read Cricket Club.

But it then all went wrong for Andrew Davidson's side as Sudnick captured the prize wicket of Mark Verden with his first ball and, in the next over, he trapped the professional Stewart Hornby lbw.

He then dismissed another Settle dangerman Paul Ridgeway, the former Lancs player, finishing with figures of 4-27 as the Dale's side struggled to 142.

Gary Bolton was named man of the match after scoring 58 and then taking 2-17 runs to claim victory.

"Andreas did well," said skipper Butler. "He is something of an unsung hero.

"On Monday we needed to get three key players out - Verden, Ridgeway and the professional - and Andreas did that and obviously he was delighted."

The Ramsbottom Cup has been a mixed bag for Cherry Tree in the past. They won it in 1997 and 1998, lost in the finals in 1999 and 2000 and didn't make it to the last two in 2001.

So this year more than made up for that.

"We are a cup side," continued the captain. "And we might take some comfort from this season that, if we don't win the title, we do have some silverware.

"But if we win both it will be a great achievement especially as it has been a big year for the club. We have spent a lot of money on the club house and have wonderful facilities."

He remembers the 1997 double win as a 'great season'.

"We were all a little bit younger then and we are known as an aging side now, most in our early or mid 30s.

"Perhaps we aren't as agile as we used to be but we have a great team spirit.

"There are around five new faces from the double winning side in 1997 so there are new players coming through.

"And of course we still have the same professional, Naeem Ashraf."

Several players were making their cup final debuts last weekend including John Baldwin, Chris Riley and Kevin Reed.

Former captain David Hayes admitted he had enjoyed the occasion - despite not being first to raise the cup.

"It was excellent. We got the three key wickets and that put us on top.

"We have an interesting five games left to see if we can do the double," said Hayes who was skipper in 1997.

"It is no surprise that it is so close as any side can beat another on the day. We will just have to wait and see."