ENFIELD skipper David Bracewell is hoping his side can continue to be the surprise package of the Lancashire League season.

The Dill Hall Lane side finished second-off-bottom last season but now, with two wins out of two, they are at the business end of the table.

And it could have been three if their clash with Lowerhouse hadn't been rained off on Sunday.

"It is still a dream start," admitted the captain. "We always tend to play those three sides - Haslingden, Bacup and Lowerhouse, the champions of the last few years - in our first games and we tend to get off to a poor start.

"But so far it has been great. We have got off to a good start and long may it continue.

"Last year we flattered to deceive and we were inconsistent. We beat good sides and then lost against the poor sides.

"And we have been settled around the bottom of the table for the last few seasons and I am sure some teams play us expecting an easy game.

"But, I am hoping, as we have shown already, that we could surprise a few teams this season."

Returning bowler Bernard Reidy has been a big boost as in the last three games - although Lowerhouse doesn't count in the statistics - he has taken 12 wickets.

"He has done really well and it is 12 wickets for 70 runs so is a really good return," said Bracewell.

And, while Bernard has been in the wickets, professional Alviro Petersen has been in the runs with a 42 and 86 in his first two games.

"We know what we are getting with Alviro. It makes targets more achievable.

"And now we have Sam Reidy opening the batting too and he has two solid scores in the first two games. It helps that the pro is coming in when it is about the 10th over and we are thirty or forty for one and not having to come in in the third over and scratch around.

"I think we are a stronger side all round this year and it takes the pressure off Alviro. Hopefully there is more to come."

It is a double header this weekend with first up for Enfield a local derby with Church tomorrow (Sat) at Blackburn Road.

"It is usually a friendly derby battle," said the captain. "I think they beat us home and away last season which I don't think has happened much before.

"My dad always sponsors the game at Enfield when we play Church and he says, in around eight years, he can never remember Enfield winning. Hopefully we will be able to put it right this season."

Enfield are in high spirits after spoiling Chris Cairns' Bacup debut with an eight wicket victory on Saturday. The game was supposedly all about the New Zealander but Bernard Reidy took four wickets and South African Petersen hit 86 to see Enfield home.

Church, meanwhile, will be hoping to bounce back after their four wicket loss to Lowerhouse in a low scoring game.

Captain Phil Sykes top-scored in their 106 but they did have Lowerhouse on the rack as they also batted poorly. But Ben Heap saved the day for the champions and Church's game against Bacup on Sunday didn't finish.

Rishton are in second slot - and were the only team to get their game on on Sunday although they might have wished they hadn't.

They saw off Rawtenstall on Saturday by 21 runs thanks to an unbeaten 39 from Richard Rostron and six wickets from their pro Vernon Philander to make it two wins out of two.

But, on Sunday, it was a low scoring game at Colne with the Rishton lower order falling cheaply in their 100 all out as Colne pro Nagamootoo took 8-24.

Colne stuttered at first in reply but got their revised target of 94 with seven wickets to spare.

Accrington also only had one game over the weekend as their Sunday game with Burnley fell victim to the weather.

On Saturday, they narrowly lost to Ramsbottom by two wickets. Captain Matt Wilson and pro Nishit Shetty did help to put on a third wicket stand of 51 and David Ormerod took five wickets but Ramsbottom took the spoils.