Town gear up for big test

OLDHAM TOWN kick off the most important few days of their campaign tonight at Leek CSOB in the second round of the Vodkat League Challenge Cup.

This is followed by Saturday’s FA Vase second-round tie at Bootle and manager Tony Mills said: “It is the biggest week of our season by a mile. If we win both games it means we will still be in three cup competitions in the New Year, which is unheard of for us.

“We haven’t been playing well for some time and the balance of our team is not right - something I am trying to put right. But cup games just bring out the best in us.”

Mills, whose side is still in the Manchester Premier Cup, believes Town have an excellent chance to reach the latter stages of Vodkat League Challenge Cup.

He said: “All you can ask for is to play teams of your own standard and we have drawn Leek CSOB and Stone Dominoes away in the next round if we win tonight.

“Many of the top first division teams have been drawn against each other so we have a great chance of winning through to the quarter- finals.”

Mills is hoping to sign two players this week to try to find the spark which has been missing.




FORMER Athletic players Tony Carss and Neil Redfearn have signed for UniBond League division one north side Salford City.
But the pair are only likely to make occasional appearances due to their other footballing commitments.

Carss was asked to sign forms by City’s new manager Ashley Berry who is a coaching colleague at Huddersfield Town’s Academy.

But the 32-year-old Carss, who had to quit professional football through injury, says his knee would have to improve for him to make a comeback.

Carss said: “I am planning to go into the gym over Christmas to try to build up my knee. If it holds up, I would like to turn out for Salford - but it is down to my body telling me if I can do it.”

Redfearn, who is youth-team coach at York City, also intends to play on an occasional basis for Salford when his time allows.

The 43-year-old has made over 1,000 competitive appearances in a playing career spanning 26 years.

And his total of 790 Football League appearances is fifth in the all-time list, his final league game coming for Rochdale in 2004 at the age of 38.




CURZON Ashton and Eastwood Town, the two UniBond League clubs through to the second-round of the FA Cup, have each collected £49,500 in prize money for their exploits.
And their successes mean that UniBond League clubs have so far pocketed a total of £332,000 in FA Cup prize money for 2008/09 compared with £164,750 for the whole of last season.

Mossley’s FA Cup run to the third qualifying round earned them a welcome £8,500 - especially as they are counting the cost of the arson attack on their Seel Park ground which was reported in the Chronicle last week.

The damage to the boardroom will cost between £15,000 and £20,000 to put right but, luckily, it will be covered by insurance.




CHADDERTON reserves recovered from the disappointment of a 6–1 defeat at AFC Fylde to defeat Ashton Town 2-1 at home.

James Mooney and Josh Parkinson were the goalscorers for the Broadway club for whom John Jones returned after a lengthy lay-off with a serious knee injury.