THE toughest of challenges awaits Crooklands Casuals tomorrow as they continue their West Lancs Premier Division campaign.

The Tangerines are on the road to league leaders Longridge Town, who have lost just one of their 13 games so far this season.

Cassies head to Preston looking to emulate Euxton's triumph at the Mike Riding Ground last month on the back of a 2-1 win over Turton at Longlands Park last weekend.

It was a result which lifted them to eighth in the table and came thanks to a second-half penalty from Tom Heywood and a 78th-minute winner from stalwart Dave Mansergh.

The division's joint-top-scorer Mansergh (who has 10 to his name) also netted twice the week before, but on an afternoon Crooklands would rather forget, as they fell to a 5-3 home defeat against Southport Hesketh – a scoreline reflective of a team who have conceded 37 goals in 13 games this season, the second-worst defensive record in the division.

They will need to be stronger at the back tomorrow against a team with the second-best attacking record – having netted 39 goals in 13 games.

Vickerstown host a Turton side heading to South Cumbria for the second time in as many weeks and do so looking to build on a 4-2 Lancashire Shield success against Lytham Town last week.

Substitute Steve Kewley and Dave Round Junior both bagged braces in that win for a team who sit a single place above Turton in the table before tomorrow's clash – those positions dictated by goal-difference alone.

Town have won four of their last five matches going into this weekend and will be hopeful of extending that run at Park Vale.

In Division One, second-placed Hawcoat Park were unable to make the trip to Ladybridge last weekend when their bus broke down.

There will be no travel issues tomorrow, as they have home comforts for the visit of Milnthorpe Corinthians.

With a game in hand on leaders Poulton Town, who are just two points above them, things still look good for the Maroons.

The same cannot be said for GSK Ulverston Rangers, who prop up the table with just a single point to their name, although they have games in hand on all the teams above them.

Tomorrow, they could move up a place as they make the trip to second-bottom Ladybridge seeking a first win of the campaign.

They went out of the Presidents Cup with a 5-1 defeat at Milnthorpe last weekend, with Jack Gardner's goal providing their only consolation. They did progress on penalties in the Lancashire Shield the week before, however, with a penalties success over Wythenshawe Amateurs.

Dalton United are only two spots above Rangers and face a trip to fourth-placed Lytham Town tomorrow. They lost on spot-kicks to Stoneclough in the Shield and followed up with a 3-0 defeat to Poulton last weekend and are in desperate need of points to avoid a relegation scrap developing.

Askam United are the other Furness side in the division. They host fellow mid-table outfit Haslingden St Mart's tomorrow.