THERE will be plenty of friendly banter as Great Harwood captain Tony Belfield takes on his fellow Harwood member Ian Garraway in the quarter-finals of the Observer Golf Shield.

The two are good friends but, with three Harwood players left in the last eight, the two knew they could be drawn against each other in the quarter-finals.

"We were hoping to avoid each other but we knew we would be lucky if we did," said Ian, 31, an assistant warehouse manager in Altham, who plays off eight. "I think the fact we know each other will make us a lot more relaxed. Sometimes there can be nerves on the first tee but I think we will both be at ease. It will be a friendly match."

Ian knocked out defending champion Accrington's Aaron Duxbury in the last round in a tight match with Ian finishing 1 up.

"I played well on the first nine and was four up but he came back and started with the birdies and it was tight towards the end."

Ian's previous best was a last eight clash while Anthony, 61, was knocked out in the first round last year. He puts his improvement down to retirement.

"I think last year I played off 16, now I play off eight," said the Harwood captain. "I never thought I would get such a low handicap. It has been a cracking year for the club. It is unusual for us to have three members in the final eight but it has just been a good year all round."

The two have been drawn to play on the neutral venue of Accrington.

"It's not my favourite course," said Tony. "We would have both preferred to play at home!"

The other Harwood player left in the draw is 2002 champion Gary Byrne.