ACE all-rounder Stephen Dearden believes Haslingden’s horrendous pain of 2009 has spurred on the class of 2010 – and says the young players are now steeled for the Lancashire League title run-in.

Haslingden blew the title last year in the most dramatic of circumstances, throwing away a big lead and eventually being pipped on the final day by Accrington.

And Dearden says the partying that played a part in the collapse will not happen again.

“The lads have learned from it,” he said. “They will be staying sober this year and not going out for the last month of the season.

“I think the experience of last year has made everyone more determined to go through and finish the job this time around.

“And we have some good players. We have Lee Ingham coming in at number seven and getting 300 runs and John Pemberton having 300 from just 10 knocks.

“Mohsin Imtiaz has moved up from number nine to open the innings and he is getting runs so it is good that it is not just Linford (Graham Knowles) and Phil Hayes doing the business.”

The 42-year-old Dearden is also in form and is closing in on 500 runs and already has passed the 50 wicket mark for the campaign.

But he laughed: “I am having a decent year – but I am getting too old to bowl 20 overs a game.”

Two wins over the double header weekend saw Haslin-gden stay clear of Ramsbottom and East Lancs, who make up a fascinating three-way fight for the title.

And Dearden says there will be more twists and turns – but that sort of battle at the top can only be good for the game.

“It’s great to have three teams in the running,” he said. “It is better for everyone than having one side running away with it.

“It is certainly the best one in years, maybe since 1992 when I was at Ramsbottom and there were several teams in the running until the last week or so of the season.

“And there will be more twists and turns to come between now and the end of the season.

“We have to play East Lancs yet and East Lancs have to play Ramsbottom and we have a really tough game on Sunday at Colne.

“They are at the wrong end of the table but they have a pro who can knock anyone over and Jeff Ellis can bowl a side out – and also score a quick ton.

“I still think that a team can lose two games and still win the title – but we are in the best position at the moment.

“We know that if we win every game we will be champions.”