KENDAL CC captain Stu Parkin is urging his players to harness the pain felt by past defeats to Netherfield and redress the balance when the sides meet on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Shap Road club have come up short in recent times against their town rivals, suffering three defeats last season alone in the Northern League and the TWP Wealth T20 competition.

Kendal’s latest loss to Netherfield came in August on home turf as Marc Brown’s side secured a four-wicket win, although the match was noteworthy for Terry Hunte reaching 20,000 Northern League runs.

And with bragging rights once again up for grabs, Parkin – who insists Netherfield will start as favourites – is in no mood to be part of a deflated dressing room come Monday evening.

“We’ve got to think back to how we felt that day back in August, walking off the field having given our all but beaten – it wasn’t a nice feeling at all,” he said.

“It’s awful regardless of who you’re playing but it just means a lot more when there is local pride at stake.

“The lads want to use the feeling we had last time and over the past few occasions, put it into the game and change around our recent results against Netherfield and change our fortunes.

“I don’t want to be sat in that dressing room following another defeat to Netherfield, it’s a local pride game so everything is at stake.

“Going into the game I would probably say we’re the underdogs as they have had a grip over us the last few years.

“But despite going in as underdogs we’re confident and feel as though the lads are playing well together.”

Kendal face a double header this weekend and make the trip to Blackpool on Saturday eager to avenge defeat against Leyland last time out.

Despite the loss, Parkin accepts Leyland once again showcased why they are reigning champions, demonstrating all the hallmarks of reprising their role of title challengers.

“We have two games this weekend which provides the opportunity to get a couple of wins and if we can confidence gets sky high again,” he added.

“Two wins and two losses from the four games we’ve managed to play so far isn’t a bad record but we’re definitely looking to kick-start things again.

“Leyland was a tough game and we were a little shy in the batting. We felt we needed 230 on that pitch so we fell 50 runs short.

“We were a bowler light with Adam Cowperthwaite unavailable but Leyland showed why they are league champions and such a good side.

“They gave us a bit of a lesson really.”

Blackpool v Kendal: Stu Parkin (c), Ben Harrison, Darren Moore, Jamie How, Ryan Shepherd, Terry Hunte, Gary Baker, Darren Braithwaite, Nick Lewthwaite, Adam Cowperthwaite, Chris Miller

Kendal v Netherfield: Stu Parkin (c), Ben Harrison, Darren Moore, Jamie How, Ryan Shepherd, Terry Hunte, Gary Baker, Darren Braithwaite, Nick Lewthwaite, Adam Cowperthwaite, Chris Miller