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Padiham's make-or-break victory over Ribblesdale Wanderers has kept alive the champions' hopes of giving Stephen Gee a memorable send-off at the end of the season.

And it was Gee himself who played a key role in the win over Jennings Ribblesdale League leaders Wanderers which could see the Padiham stalwart end his career with another title-winners' medal when he hangs up his boots.

Gee was promoted up the order and responded with a top-score of 72 before he claimed the vital final wicket with his eighth delivery and fourth last ball of the match to earn Padiham maximum points.

And captain Andy McNicholas admitted that any other result would have ended Padiham's hopes of keeping the championship trophy at the Arbories.

``We had let ourselves down badly over the last two or three games and if we had lost, we could have forgotten it with four games to go,'' he said.

``We are still five points behind and they are favourites but at least it's not over with yet.

``It's all to play for. They have some hard games but so have we.

``We've got some hard work to do but if we had lost and been 17 points behind we would have had it.''

And he paid tribute to the contribution made by Gee, who stepped into the breach to open the batting. ``Trip (Pankaj Tripathi) and Phil Metcalfe were both missing and Steve volunteered on the day of the game,'' McNicholas revealed.

``He's very capable but I think he exceeded even his own expectations. In recent years he's been happy to bowl and just chip in lower down the order. But earlier in his career he scored a lot of runs and he showed he hasn't lost it.''

Gee's innings and 41 from John Hartley helped Padiham post a total of 195 which was enough to secure a 34-run win, although that didn't look likely at first.

``It was certainly competitive and we knew that if we bowled a good line and length it would put them under pressure.

``They were 60-0 after 11 overs so we just had to hang in there and John Hartley came on and got the breakthrough, including Nawaz,'' added the skipper, who belatedly turned to Gee in an effort to gain the potentially crucial extra two points.

``He had a long innings and I was mindful of that, but we've also got a few bowling options. It was just left to Steve to pick the last one up.''

And with Gee finally set to call it a day, his Padiham team-mates have an added incentive to try and pip Wanderers or dark horses Great Harwood for the title in what is starting to look a threeway race following Cherry Tree's recent slump.

``He seems adamant and he's arranged to give his kit away, so it will cost a fortune if he carries on next year.

``We all want to win it for Steve but it doesn't always work out that way. There are other clubs who want to win it and rightly so.

``But it would be nice to finish it on that note because he's been a great servant,'' McNicholas added.