EAST Lancashire Paper Mill must win both their final two games to avoid the drop into the Greater Manchester Cricket League’s Division Three.

Paul Hewart’s team have to win their last two games – at home to third-placed Werneth on Saturday and at leaders Droylsden seven days later – to have any chance of surviving in Division Two A.

If they go down it will mean a Radcliffe drop double, with Radcliffe CC also having been relegated from the league’s other Division Two section.

Hewart admits it is a tall order for his side but they will give it their best shot.

“It’s not looking promising,” he said. “We’re six points behind Elton Vale with two games to go, against one of the better sides in the division and the team who are probably going to be champions.

“Relegation would be a setback for the club because if you go down to Division Three you drop off the radar a little bit and get club umpires.

“The one bonus is we would go regionalised so we should slot into a division with Radcliffe, which is a derby and should be good for the bar takings.

“We have to try to win both games and we’ll be going into it positive with a smile on our face and see what happens.”

Hewart believes his side could have stayed up had they realised their potential often enough.

“Man for man we believe we are as good or better than some of the teams in this division,” he said.

“When we look at the team we have, if the lads all stay we could get three teams out next season some weeks, which would be good.”