Vaux Ribblesdale League

CLITHEROE professional Jonathan Fielding has just one thing on his mind in preparation for his side's final game of the Vaux Ribblesdale League campaign.

And that is tonight's Nationwide Division One football match between Bury and Manchester City!

After a long and tense championship chase, an otherwise attractive fixture at home to Great Harwood is now something of an anti-climax.

But Fielding's side have been far from dispirited by their efforts in finishing runners-up to Cherry Tree.

"Cherry Tree have had an exceptional season and, in most other seasons, to lose only four games would have been good enough for us to win the title.

"Other teams who expected to be up there haven't performed as well as they should have.

"The top two batting sides were very even but we were lacking a bowler to take 50 wickets.

"But we have had a successful season, our team spirit has been great throughout and we are not disappointed," said Fielding, who expects to return to Clitheroe next season but as yet has not put pen to paper.

The former Lancashire slow left-armer is also considering a winter offer from Ramsbottom professional Chris Harris's side St Albans in New Zealand.

And Clitheroe are already starting to plan their campaign for next season.

Steve Whalley is rumoured to be moving to St Annes and the search is on for that elusive bowler.

"We will either bring someone on from the second team or finds someone from another club," said Fielding.

Fixtures: Clitheroe v Great Harwood, Earby v Blackburn N, Edenfield v Barnoldswick, Ribblesdale W v Padiham, Read v Baxenden, Os Immanuel v Settle, Whalley v Cherry Tree

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.