Mossley look to bounce back

MOSSLEY boss Chris Willcock will have to lift his troops for tomorrow’s UniBond League division one north game at Bamber Bridge.

Defeat at lowly Woodley Sports in midweek came as a surprise to the Lilywhites, who saw the Tuesday night tussle as an ideal opportunity to climb from 15th place.

Seventh-placed Bridge should offer a sterner test than Steelmen, who were recording only their second win of the season in the league.

Mossley will be hoping they can rediscover their cup-tie form which included a victory against Zamaretto League side Brackley Town and a draw at Ilkeston Town, from Blue Square North.




OLDHAM Boro are on a recovery mission at seventh-placed Eccleshall in division one of the Vodkat North-West Counties League tomorrow.

Tony Mills’ side slipped to their fifth league defeat of the campaign against Wigan Robin Park on Tuesday night — but they nearly didn’t get a full contingent of players on the pitch.

Boro, who were also beaten by Cheadle Town in the First Division Trophy three days earlier, went down 3-0.

Mills said: “Because of one thing or another, we only had nine men at one stage.

“We ended up with 11 players and a substitute goalkeeper.

“Lee Scanlan helped us out and he will play again tomorrow. Darren Scanlan is back as well as Arnold Nsimbe, Duncan Philbin and Will Buckley, so we will be okay.”


CHADDERTON manager Paul Buckley fears tomorrow’s NWCL division one game against Holker Old Boys will be another victim of the weather.

With no let-up in the rain, it is odds against that the Broadway pitch will be fit for the visit of the Cumbrian outfit.

Buckley said: “It doesn’t look good. We did a bit of work on the ground last Saturday, but by Monday night there was more standing water on it.

“It needs marking, but we can’t get on it because of the state it’s in at present.

“The players are fed up. It’s disheartening when all you do is train and there is no real prospect of playing at the weekends.”

Chadderton, who have only played 10 league games so far this season, have suffered four straight postponements since their last competitive run out on October 31.

As a result James Curley has yet to start his three-match ban and, if tomorrow’s fixture is called off, it will mean the striker will miss the Boxing Day derby at Oldham Boro.