IT'S a two club race in the Transco Lancashire League with defending champions Bacup and East Lancs vying for the top spot.

Bacup have a four point advantage but with just three games remaining - one this weekend and a double header next - it could go either way.

Former Australian Test player Peter Sleep, who is now playing with Inter League champions Rishton - a side in the battle for third spot - looks over both team's run-ins. SATURDAY SEPT 1

COLNE V BACUP

Colne are one of those teams who are an unknown quantity. We played them a couple of week a ago and gave them a mauling, but they are unknown. They can beat the top sides one day and lose to the bottom sides the next. I would like Colne to win this one, as the underdogs, but I predict a Bacup win.

EAST LANCS V ACCRINGTON

You have got to think that East Lancs will win this one but, saying that, Accrington had a good win over Enfield last Sunday. That will have been a boost for the players. I would like Accrington to win this one, again as the underdogs as I don't like to see any team struggling at the wrong end of the table and not winning many games. I would like them to get a few wins before the end.

But even though East Lancs will be using a sub professional, I think the amateurs there are good enough. It will not be a major problem for them and I think East Lancs have a 95 per cent of winning against Accrington.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8

LOWERHOUSE V BACUP

Lowerhouse were shocking when we played them. I have no doubt a Bacup win.

(Rishton did set a new League record for the number of runs scored in an innings when they scored 340-6 against Lowerhouse on August 4)

ENFIELD V EAST LANCS

For Rishton, we could do with East Lancs winning this one. We play Enfield tomorrow and we need to beat them and we could do with East Lancs doing us a favour and beating them again as it would make our bid to finish third in the league easier. So I have to go for East Lancs on this one.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9

BACUP V ENFIELD

Enfield can have a big say in this title! For the same reasons - so Rishton can finish third - I want Bacup to win. With a Bacup victory and other results going our way as Burnley are up there as well, another defeat of Enfield would make our chances of finishing third better.

NELSON V EAST LANCS

I don't think there is any doubt that this will be an East Lancs victory. Nelson haven't had a great season, they lost some key players before the season started and I don't think their pro has helped them as much as they would like. East Lancs win.

RESULT

I think Bacup should be able to keep East Lancs at bay and they will reclaim the title with East Lancs the runners-up.

For Bacup to slip up now I think they would need to lose three or four players and I can't see that happening.

They play very well together. As amateurs they are probably not the most gifted or talented individuals but as a team they play well.

For Rishton, it has been a reasonable season and, with the Inter-League Cup won last weekend against Littleborough, I think to finish third in the league would be okay.

It will be a close run thing between us, Enfield and Burnley for the third spot - us and Enfield are one point behind third place Burnley at the moment - and we have got to make sure we have no hiccups.

We have signed Clinton Perren again for next season and he will be all the better for this season's experience. Hopefully we will be bigger and better next season.