BIGGEST name professional Brendan Nash finally makes his long-awaited return to the Lancashire League tomorrow after 11 games away – but his club captain insists nothing can be taken for granted in what is shaping up to be the best title race in years.

Nash played just one game for East Lancs, a defeat at Burnley on the opening day of the season, before being summoned to international duty with the West Indies but steps back into the fray when his second-placed side face reigning champions Accrington at Alexandra Meadows.

And while East Lancs skipper Mark Bolton is delighted to see the Test ace back in the ranks, he knows there is much hard work to do if the Blackburn side are to win their first crown since 2003.

“It’s great that Brendan is back and it adds consistency to the squad,” said Bolton.

“But people can’t start to assume that we will win the league now he is here.

“We haven’t played well in our last three games and while we have won two of those we have to play better as a team if we are to beat Accrington.”

David Ormerod’s men were skittled for just 39 against Enfield last week but Bolton knows enough about his opponents to suggest that will only spur them on.

“They have won the title for the last two years,” he said.

“You don’t do that by being a bad side. They had a bad day. We all have bad days and we had one at Todmorden.

“We need to work on our game and hit form to get what we want from the season.”

Bolton has been forced to recruit substitute professionals in the absence of the West Indian with Nash’s Jamaican team-mate Brenton Parchment filling in with aplomb when called upon.

“We’ve been lucky,” added Bolton. “You never know with sub-pros but Parchy has done well for us and the others have also performed.

“But I didn’t become captain in order to spend all week looking for sub-pros.

"It’s been a recurring theme for the last couple of years and normally we have been able to call upon Jon Fielding as sub. But he’s at Ramsbottom now so that was scuppered.”

Fielding leads his third-placed Ramsbottom side tomorrow as they welcome Bacup to Acre Bottom with both sides avoiding thinking too much towards Sunday’s Worsley Cup semi-finals.

Leaders Haslingden have been going about their business at the top despite losing skipper Graham Knowles with a finger injury.

Steve Dearden leads Haslingden as they face Lowerhouse at Liverpool Road with the home side looking capable of upsetting anyone on their day.

Nelson are in good form with only last week’s defeat to Haslingden the blot on their recent copybook and face Todmorden at Seedhill in what is a battle of the Boks between rival professionals Burton de Wett and David Weise.

Burnley head to Bacup Road as they warm-up for their Sunday Worsley Cup semi-final against Rawtenstall, while Colne are at Church.

FIXTURES

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