The Holmen Iggesund Premier Division title could be won tomorrow – or it could turn into a long running trilogy!
Maryport host Wath Brow A and need to win to draw level at the top of the table from this final league game.
If they do, however, it will mean a play-off game because the title can’t be won on points differential this season.
That play-off decider would be followed by the Cumberland Cup final when the two are due to go head-to-head.
That’s not forgetting the Top Four Play-offs in which they have the potential again to meet in the final.
So plenty of potential for Maryport and Wath Brow showdowns ahead, but all focus is on tomorrow’s clash at the Athletic Ground.
Maryport coach Mark Foster said: “It’s obviously a big game for both of us. The Brow have beaten us twice and we need to improve on those two performances.
“The lads have given me everything in the recent games and have done me proud with two big wins in the League and one in the Cumberland Cup semi-final.
“It’s a massive game for both teams and we are all looking forward to it, especially as there will be a big crowd down for the game.
“We have everybody available who played last week but Sam Forrester won’t play again this season as he had a fractured cheekbone.”
Wath Brow A coach Paul Farrell said: “I’m really looking forward to the game, excited, nervous but also confident that if the lads perform as they are capable of we can win it.
“We do have two bites of the cherry but we want to get it done tomorrow and make a little bit of history, the first A team to win the Cumberland League.
“Training this week has been very relaxed as we’ve tried to fine tune a couple of things. We know what to expect from Maryport who will certainly be up for the challenge. It will be a forward battle for control over the first 20 minutes and we are prepared for that.
“It’s a big week for the club and we have two strong squads for the NCL game at Hunslet and this one at Maryport.”
The other Premier Division game tomorrow will decide fourth spot in the top four play-offs as Lowca entertain Kells A.
Lowca coach Lee Allen said: “We are looking forward to the last league game and I know we haven’t kicked-on from the first half of the season due to a few long-term injuries and work commitments.
“But as I’ve said all year we have a young squad with all of our Under-18s getting experience of the Cumberland League.
“There will be 10 of them in tomorrow’s squad and I know Kells have struggled of late with similar issues. However I’m sure tomorrow’s game will be a hard fought battle with both teams trying to finish fourth.”
Jonathan Wignall, the Kells A coach said: “We look forward to going to Lowca and hopefully finishing the season well against a team now in the top four.
“We’ve had a really tough season as the other teams with two sides operating across the CARLA and Conference leagues.
“We have used 59 players within our A team this year and due to the nature of the injuries within the first team we have 25 players who have played more than six games for the first team.
“This obviously causes selection issues when trying to pick a side for a game where we can only select four of those players and we thank every player who has represented both teams this season of which there are more than 20 who have made a single appearance to help the club out.
“Hopefully there will be a good crowd to watch the game.”
The weekend starts tonight with a Division One clash between Ellenborough A and Flimby Vikings.
There are two more tomorrow – Askam v Hensingham A and Aspatria Hornets v Distington A.
Aspatria and Askam are together at the top on 12 points as they go into these final games.
Mark Ridley the Aspatria chairman said: “We drew up at Distington earlier in he season in what was a very tough game so I am expecting something similar at Beacon Hill.
“We have 19 players available it’s good that we have those many players to pick from. Mark Irwin will be back at centre and Cameron Moore comes into the second row.”
Chris Bradley the Askam player coach said: “We are looking to secure a home game in the top four play-offs but expect to be facing a young and exuberant Hensingham side.
“I was quite pleased with our performance last week although there are some things in our final execution we need to work on.
“We have a couple of players coming back in but Lucas James will miss the rest of the season with a broken collarbone.”
