Cricket: Painful past can help Euxton in battle for promotion this season

That’s the view of captain James Bone who is hoping his side can pip Fulwood & Broughton to the runners-up position.

With champions-elect Fleetwood boasting a sizeable lead at the top, there is only one other promotion spot up for grabs.

Currently F&B hold the box seat as they sit in second, four points clear of Euxton with four games to go.

However, there is likely to be a few twists and turns before the season ends, especially as both F&B and Euxton face Fleetwood in the run-in. F&B host the leaders, who have won every one of their completed matches this season, on the penultimate weekend of the season, while Euxton head to Broadwater for the final match of the season.

Euxton looked on course to finish second last year but lost twice at the end of August to hand the initiative to Carlisle, who sealed their place in Division One despite losing to Euxton on the final day.

Bone admits the pain of that near miss is still raw amongst his squad and they are hoping to use that to their advantage over the final weeks of the campaign.

“We are a more experienced group,” said Bone, whose side travel to Barrow tomorrow before heading to Penwortham on bank holiday Monday. “We know what we need to do.

“It’s just a case of doing it on the day and hopefully, having tasted what it feels like to end up on the wrong side of it, that makes us more hungry than ever to put it right this year and end up on the right side of it.”

One player who is sure to play a pivotal role is professional Nishan Peiris. The Sri Lanka Test ace ace has taken 52 league victims at an average of just over 12.

“It’s really good for us that Nish has been able to stick with us as a lot of teams have to call upon sub-pros at this stage which could upset the balance of their team,” said Bone. “For us, having that continuity is great.”