Andy Bentley’s cabinet is full of runners-up medals – so to finally get a winner’s trophy would make his day.

Church are in the final of the Worsley Cup for the second year running on Sunday facing Lowerhouse (start 12.30pm), having been beaten by Ramsbottom last year.

They also lost the Twenty20 final this year and last year to Ramsbottom so, while used to getting to the last two of the league’s showpieces, winning them has been a problem.

"I have five runners-up medals," said bowler Bentley, who is a teacher at St Mary’s in Oswaldtwistle.

"I have two Worsley Cup, one league runners-up and two Twenty20 second-place medals. It would be nice to get a winner’s one!"

Bentley admitted though, that the Church team are going into this final in a more relaxed mood as the bowler felt nerves got to them in last year’s final.

"We have been discussing it and I can honestly say last year, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should.

"I was nervous and worried and this year we have all said we are determined to go out and give our best and we have to hope that is good enough.

"I think we put too much pressure on ourselves last year as everyone was talking about us winning our last major trophy in 1974 and so this year we are all keen to hold our heads high and just do our best.

"We obviously want to win but if our best isn’t good enough then so be it. Lowerhouse are a good side – I think they are the best side in the league – but we don’t fear them."

Bentley is racing back from a holiday down south to play the game while Sam Holt is coaching the Lancashire Juniors on the coast but both will be back for Sunday so Church expect to have a full-strength side out.

"It is all about the fans and committee members really," said Bentley. "As players we haven’t been waiting as long as the fans for a trophy so it’s more important we win for those who have followed and supported the club for a long time.

"While I have been here we have been relatively successful without winning things so it would be nice to take it one step further and we know how much it would mean to everyone at the club, not just us."

Church had to come through a big-hitting semi-final against local rivals and 2008 cup winners Accrington at Thorneyholme Road on Saturday to again reach the last two of the competition on Saturday.

Church had pro Saeed Anwar to thank for hitting a stunning 93 off 56 balls but Sam Holt’s 55 also proved vital in their 277-5. Levi Wolfenden – man-of-the-match in last year’s Worsley Cup final despite being on the losing side – and Lloyd Aspin (35 each) also chipped in to set a high target as 108 runs came from the final 10 overs.

Accrington pro Ashar Zaidi took 3-33 while bowler David Ormerod managed to return from his holiday in Cornwall in time but Accrington were still missing captain Graham Lloyd and bowler Jimmy Hayhurst.

Accrington were in touble at 2-14 but professional Zaidi made a fight of it with a a high score of 83 while Simon Hanson (27) and skipper for the day Matt Wilson (26) also made sure it was no walkover.

Bentley admitted: "The key wicket was their pro as, if he had stayed in, I think they would have gone on to win.

"Him and Simon Hanson did really well together and it was a worrying time for a bit."

Zaidi was one of Bentley’s four victims but the bowler said: "It was down to wicket keeper Sam Tucker’s catch really. It was superb and that was the turning point of the game. It was a relief."

Bentley helped to clear up the lower order, finishing on 4-28 while Aspin and Muhammad Jamil took two wickets each as the wickets fell quickly at the end in Church’s 89-run win.

Now the pressure is on Church pro Anwar, who won the league with Rishton in 2007, to pick up a trophy at the West End club.

"Saeed said he came to us to win trophies and it hasn’t happened in the two years he has been here," said Bentley.

"He is desperate to win as it’s his third final since he has been here and he has never won yet so he will be determined."

After last Saturday’s much-delayed semi-final, it has meant the Blackburn Road side have only had a week to prepare for the league’s showpiece but Bentley said that holding it last year has paid off.

"We bought some tents last year and kept them just in case, so thankfully we have got them and the committee have done a great job of sorting out sponsors so hopefully it will be a great day for us," added Bentley.

Wicket keeper Sam Tucker, who postponed a job in Hong Kong to play the season with Church, admitted he has left room in his suitcase as he finally looks to claim a winner’s medal.

"I have left space for a medal and the cup!" said Tucker, Church’s record holder for dismissals.

"But Sunday’s cup final is going to be a unique and special atmosphere. Lowerhouse are one of the biggest supported amateur cricket teams in the country, they are vocal and make lots of noise to get behind their team, which is going to contribute to a special atmosphere at West End.

"This is the league’s showpiece event and it’s the event that every local cricketer wants to play in.

"Thankfully the weather forecast is for once looking good, unlike last year’s cup final which was disrupted by the weather.

"Lowerhouse go into the game as favourites, they are a wonderfully accomplished side. They are league champions and they really turned us over last weekend and we know what to expect from them and that we need to perform much better this time round."

With all the talk of league restructuring – talks of merging leagues and making changes in a bid to get interest back in the Lancashire League – Tucker thinks the Worsley Cup final shows why the league should stay as it is.

"In my view Sunday’s final is going to demonstrate why our Lancashire League product is so uniquely different from all other leagues and why they all want a piece of our great institution."

As the saying goes ‘forever the bridesmaid and never the bride’ – Church will hope Sunday is their big day.