ENFIELD are glad to get jittery June out of the way as they look to clinch their first league title since 1977.
It’s the 150th anniversary of the Dill Hall Lane Club this year and it would be an ideal time to win the league.
But captain David Bracewell dreads June after Enfield have come unstuck in recent years during the month.
And he is glad to get through it with their title challenge still intact - although they have slipped from the top of the table to third.
"We have had a bad run towards the end but it’s not been as bad as usual!" said the skipper.
"We lost to Todmorden in the Worsley Cup, then lost to Lowerhouse the day after and then Accrington last Saturday - but we bounced back against Accrington on Sunday and I have to hope that’s our bad spell over.
"June’s always a bad month for us - we tend to be up there challenging and bad results over that month usually knock us out of it - so I will be glad when it’s July now.
"It was frustrating on Saturday against Accrington though as we let ourselves down.
"We were only chasing 125 so to just get 50 and not even a batting point was a bad performance by us - let’s hope that’s our bad batting show out of the way for the season.
"It was tight in the re-match on Sunday and we were 50-3 at drinks but then Andy Barker and Adam Bracewell made around 90 in the next 16 overs and we needed that win.
"If we had lost to Accrington twice over the weekend we would have been around 30 points behind them and it would have been difficult to chase that.
"But now we are still in the hunt and we have got to make sure we stay there."
And Enfield could make a jump back towards the top if they see off second placed Haslingden tomorrow - who are six points ahead of them.
"It’s a big few weeks as we have Haslingden on Sunday then fourth placed Lowerhouse after that so it is a huge July for us," said Bracewell.
"The good news is we should have professional Gary Brent for most of the games so that will be a boost."
Zimbabwean Brent, a sports coach in Warwickshire, has had to miss Saturday games due to his job commitments.
"Gary has had to miss a few games but he has still got 29 wickets this season so he is doing well.
"It has been hard for him travelling back and forward and not interacting with the lads on a daily basis - it isn’t ideal but there is still plenty to play for.
"We can’t though afford many more slip-ups and we want to be there or thereabouts with three games to go and then we will see which side can handle the pressure."
It was also one win each for CHURCH and RISHTON in the other local double header but it was costly for Rishton as they lost their pro Aaron Heal to a knee injury.
The Australian will see a consultant on Tuesday to find out whether he can continue for the Blackburn Roaders.
Church have been in a rich vein of form of late and Levi Wolfenden’s 52 and 6-41 by Andy Bentley sealed a 40-run win over Rishton on Saturday.
But it was Rishton bowler Shaun Hutchinson who stole the show on Sunday with the best amateur figures of the season - 8-29. Sub pro Johan Botha, standing in for Heal, top scored with an unbeaten 58 to make it honours even over the weekend.
