BLACKBURN Northern's healthy youth system combined with the skill of professional Ata-ur-Rehman has been the key to the club's recent revival.

That is the verdict of captain Neil Weaver, whose side currently lie fourth in the Jennings Ribblesdale League table.

After finishing bottom of the league for two consective seasons before Rehman joined as pro last year, the Pleckgate Road club finished seventh last season and look like bettering that this year.

"We finished bottom twice because we needed a pro who could bat and bowl, said Weaver. "Our pro is a very good bowler and he's taking a lot of wickets. He hasn't got as many runs as we'd like but fortunately the amateurs have.

"I am happy with my form this season. It is not as good as it has been in previous years but I have scored about 200 runs and taken about 16 wickets."

"A lot of sides have imported people this season but we have stuck with the youngsters who have been here since they were knee high to grasshoppers."

Blackburn face Oswaldtwistle Immanuel at home tomorrow and it is a game they would be expected to win, but Weaver disagrees.

"There are no easy games," said the 30-year-old. "Their pro this year is meant to be a pretty good player, a quick bowler.

"They're a young side and on their day they could beat anybody, as could most teams in the league this year.

"It's a good league this year with about eight or nine teams vying for top spot.

"We have still got some way to go. We've got a good pro and some good youngsters, but talking of league titles at this stage is a little bit off the mark."

But some results, such as a win over defending champions Ribblesdale Wanderers, have boosted confidence.

He said: "We never beat Ribblesdale Wanderers, they stuff us every year.

"But for the first time in a long time we managed to get their pro out and we beat them. That was a key game to win.

"We have been quite lucky as well because when we have come across the better sides the weather has been quite kind to us.

"But we have to just keep plugging away. It is important that everyone contributes instead of just having one player who we rely on."

Fixtures: Baxenden v Settle, Blackburn Northern v Oswaldtwistle, Clitheroe v Edenfield, Earby v Ribblesdale Wanderers, Great Harwood v Read, Padiham v Barnoldswick, Whalley v Cherry Tree.