Longridge put Palace Shield title credentials to test

First play second at Newsham, with Longridge’s 12 wins from 13 matches putting them six points clear of their visitors at the top.

Lancaster have hardly proved slouches themselves with 11 wins and two defeats this season, leaving the top two well clear of third-placed Vernon Carus, who are 28 points behind Longridge and 22 adrift of Lancaster.

However, as Simpson readily acknowledged, no one at Longridge is being complacent given the run of fixtures between now and the end of the season.

“Every time we seem to get a 12-point win, Lancaster do as well and it sets things up for what could be a pivotal weekend.

“Lancaster don’t look like they’re going to drop any points so, if we can open up a 12 or 13-point gap, that allows us to have one blip before the end of the season.

“If we don’t win, then what kind of signal does that send to the rest of the teams in third, fourth and fifth?

“We have to play them again, and if we show we can be beaten, they will be fancying their chances of taking points off us.

“People can say there’s a big gap between us and Vernons but we still have to play a lot of the teams at the top end of the table.

“To have 142 points from 13 games is unbelievable but we have to keep our foot on the gas and stay one step ahead of the rest.

“Winning titles means you have to beat the teams in and around you.”