Dolly Blues bid to reach final

Skipper Neil Marshall (photo: Tony North)

The Dolly Blues face Padiham in the semi-finals of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy at the County Ground in Leyland.

Wins over AFC Darwen and Ashton Athletic in earlier rounds mean Phil Brown’s side know victory over the North West Counties Premier Division outfit will see them line up against holders Chorley at Bolton Wanderers’ Macron Stadium in the final.

Captain Neil Marshall sees the county showpiece as a chance to end his Dolly Blues career on a high, the skipper having announced his intention to retire at the end of the season due to an ongoing battle with cancer.

The central defender said: “I’ve been playing in the Lancashire Cup for 10 years now and I think I’d only reached one semi-final before our good run this season.

“It’s a great opportunity for us against Padiham but they will be looking at it the same.

“We’ve just got make sure we focus on the job in hand and don’t look too far ahead because, although we’ve got a good record against Padiham and they’re in the league below, it will be a big test.

“It should be a good  occasion though. It’s a neutral semi-final but Leyland isn’t too far for fans of either side to travel.

“Hopefully our performance matches the importance of the game.”

Elsewhere, Bamber Bridge boss Neil Crowe is hoping to make it three wins on the spin when his side host Prescot Cables in the NPL First Division North.

Brig suffered only their second home league defeat of the season at the hands of Witton Albion earlier this month.

But after that 4-1 loss Brig have dispatched New Mills 3-0 and beat Harrogate Railway Athletic thanks to a late Jamie Milligan penalty on  Saturday.

Crowe said: “Maybe the Witton game was the kick up the backside we needed.

“Since then we have played two of the bottom sides but we still had to beat them.

“They are scrapping for their lives but we bounced back, beat them and we are hoping to make it three in a row tonight.

“Prescot have picked up some good results this season.

“They are a team together that is fighting for every  point. It will be a tough game.”

Brig have won seven of their last nine games and are 14th in the First Division North  table.