Young guns on the way up

ATHLETIC are up to third in the North-West Conference of the Youth Alliance thanks to a 1-0 win at last season's champions Preston.

Andrew Crompton's curling free-kick on the stroke of half-time claimed the points, after the same player had earlier struck the inside of a post.

Athletic would have been more goals to the good had the team not squandered a number of well-worked chances on the counterattack, but towards the end of the game goalkeeper Shaun Routledge was called into action to produce a pair of outstanding saves to preserve the slender advantage.

A busy week now awaits Tony Philliskirk's men, with a home tie against York on Saturday in the Youth Alliance Cup followed up by another home knock-out contest against Morecambe in the Lancashire Cup on Wednesday.