THE captains of Saturday's Lancashire Telegraph Lancashire League Second XI Cup final are demanding victory but for contrasting reasons.

While Ramsbottom's out-going captain Brian Taylor who lifted the trophy last season wants to finish on a high, his East Lancs counterpart, Paul Moss, simply wants to win after four cup final defeats!

Taylor, set to step down after two season's as Twos skipper at Acre Bottom, wants to keep hold of the cup to be able to declare his tenure a success.

In contrast, Moss who is in his second spell as the East Lancs captain, wants to break his duck.

"I can't leave this season without winning something and we've got a great chance," said Taylor whose side currently sit pretty at top of the Second XI League table. "This is my second year as captain of the 2nds and I will be bowing out in three months. And I'd love us to do the double.

"Home advantage will make a big difference. We get great crowds anyway and often take two coach loads of fans with us on away games, but we will expect a really good crowd at home.

He added: "It's an advantage because we know the wicket and we will be comfortable in our own dressing room. We have the best ground in the league."

Moss, 32, who has been with the club since he was eight-years-old is hoping it will be fifth time lucky.

The all-rounder was a part of the East Lancs teams that lost to Haslingden in 92 and 98 and Ramsbottom in 93 but rates the last defeat against Burnley in 2004 as the worst of the lot.

He said: "The first three games we didn't turn up and deserved to lose. But against Burnley we played well put some silly mistakes cost us and we ended up losing. It was very hard to take because we won the league that year so we were obviously the best team. In fact, the cup final was our only defeat since the end of May that season!"

Despite being cup holders and league leaders, Taylor is not getting complacent and has warned that none of his squad could expect a place in the starting line-up.

"We've not been thinking of the final and did not talk about team selection until after our weekend games against Enfield and Lowerhouse," he said.

"We have several players who know they were playing for their places. We have a squad of 16 who could all play so it was make or break weekend for some of them. Saying that, nearly half of this team should be in the firsts."

Ramsbottom, who have already beaten East Lancs this season, are lucky to be in the final.

A first round match against Colne almost ended in disaster only for Toby McClean and Sam Price, 17, to come to the rescue.

Taylor added: "The pair were crucial to us getting to the final. Toby, who is more of a bowler, came in and got 67 runs for us against Colne. Sam, whose dad used to captain the first team, finished the game off with 39no. Colne thought they were home and dry.

"Sam got 60 last weekend and opened the batting for us. He has come from nowhere this season."

Taylor also hopes the weather will be better than last season. He recalls: "The thing I remember most about last year was the weather - it was shocking. We got 120 and Todmorden thought they'd win it. But we bowled them out for 100. It was a low scoring but very exciting match. Andy Dolby took a couple of very important wickets."

East Lancs have a nice blend of youth and experience and half the team played in the last cup final defeat against Burnley.

Moss said: "I think that is a good thing really. The lads will know what it is like to suffer a cup final defeat and they will be determined to make sure it want happen again."

As for Moss, he is so desperate to break his cup final jinx he's even missing his cousin's wedding!