EAST Lancashire and Enfield may be outside bets but both sides go into the final weekend of the season with dreams of becoming the new champions of the Lancashire League.

Last Sunday's washout means a double header on a weekend which has the potential of creating one of the league's most exciting finishes in years.

With both sides eight points adrift of leaders Haslingden, the Bentgate side must be favourites to clinch the title. But neither Enfield nor East Lancs are going to go down without a fight.

Shane Lee, the inspirational professional at Enfield, who has taken his side to the brink of a sensational finale, summed up the mood at the Dill Hall Lane club.

"If Haslingden win on Saturday then it is all over but if they slip up then we play them on Sunday and that could be very interesting to say the least. We have had a tremendous run and it is a credit to the lads that we are in with a chance on the final weekend of the seaso," he said.

Billy Stelling at East Lancashire knows the destiny of the title lies out of his club's hands and all they can do is win both games and sit and wait. "We'll definitely be giving it our best shot but to be honest I think defeat against Nelson on Saturday has cost us the championship."

On Sunday, East Lancs entertain Lowerhouse - the fourth side in the title equation - and as they trail Haslingden by just five points they are in the best position to snatch the title away from the current leaders.

FIXTURES - Saturday: Accrington v East Lancs, Bacup v Colne, Haslingden v Church, Lowerhouse v Rawtenstall, Nelson v Ramsbottom, Rishton v Enfield, Todmorden v Burnley.

Sunday: Burnley v Bacup, Church v Nelson, Colne v Accrington, East Lancs v Lowerhouse, Enfield v Haslingden, Ramsbottom v Rishton, Rawtenstall v Todmorden.

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