Tough test awaits Latics

NEWLY-promoted Curzon Ashton will provide Athletic with a good pre-season test at the Tameside Stadium tonight.

John Flanagan’s team stormed to the Evo-Stik League Division One title last term, and are now looking forward with confidence to the new campaign in the Premier Division.

They open their programme of pre-season games tonight, but for Athletic it’s their second game, having lost 4-1 to Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest last weekend at the FA’s St George’s Park headquarters.

Boss Lee Johnson will field a strong team – as he did during a hard-earned 2-0 victory at Curzon this time last year – with a number of senior players like Connor Brown, James Wilson and Mike Jones set to play an hour or more.

David Mellor will feature for the first time since knee surgery in March, while Johnson will take another look at three trialists – striker William Gros and two others.

Johnson said: “Curzon showed last summer that they were a good side. I could see that they were going to have a good season.

“It’s going to be a tough game.”

Flanagan is about to embark on a fourth season in charge of Curzon.

Last season’s promotion means they have elevated themselves to the club’s highest-ever level in the football pyramid – just two divisions away from the Football League.

Flanagan has only tinkered with his squad during the summer as he aims to give last season’s league champions a chance to prove themselves in the Evo-Stik League top flight.

Tonight’s match kicks-off at 7.30pm.

Admission prices are £5 and £2 for concessions, while under-16s get in for free.