STAR all-rounder Jonathan Finch insists it is far too early to start getting carried away with Lowerhouse’s flying start to the season – but he admits that years of hard work behind the scenes at Liverpool Road is making the club stronger.

Finch, who became the first Lowerhouse player to do the amateur double of 500 runs and 50 wickets for 30 years last season, has made a good start to the current campaign personally and the team has also started well with five wins from six games to shoot into second spot.

That run includes a memorable win at reigning champions and league leaders Ramsbottom, a result that ended Rammy’s 20-match winning streak, and Finch said: “We are going along okay at the moment.

“Pre-season we were quietly confident of improving on last year – but we have only played six games and we are not going to start making predictions yet. Come back after 18 or 19 matches and we will have a better idea.

“But it does help when we have a professional here from before the season started. You can get to know the pro and you can work on things as a team – and that is always good.”

South African paid man Francois Haasbroek has impressed along with the rest of his team-mates as Lowerhouse recovered from the opening day shocker of being skittled for 47 at Bacup and Finch reckons the team spirit at the club is a major strong point.

“If you take Chris Blezard out of the equation we have a very young average age,” added Finch. “I came here as an outsider from Nelson when I was 19 but if you look at skipper Charlie Cottam, Blez and Joe Beneduce they are Lowerhouse through and through.

“If you cut them they would probably bleed Lowerhouse blue and yellow.

“And the hard work put in by Stan Heaton with the young lads is paying off with lads like Josh Whitehead and Joe Martin coming through.

“That is important for the future of the club – and it also brings about a real team spirit.”

Lowerhouse’s latest win came at Church on Saturday when the rain came down as the home side looked to close in on a win.

“It was a good win for us,” he said. “But I suppose we did get that little bit of luck with the weather.

“You always prefer to be batting second when there is rain about – but it went for us at Church.

“That’s the way it goes sometimes. We have been on the wrong end in the rain enough times.

“It was good to get the win - but there is a long way to go.”