Halford sets a tough target

MOSSLEY player-boss Steve Halford has demanded seven wins from their final eight Evo-Stik League Division One North games because the race for a coveted play-off spot remains so tight.

Skelmersdale’s brilliant season so far means they have almost wrapped up the league title already, but the chase for the next four spots remains tantalisingly close, with the Lilywhites currently in third spot, just behind Ramsbottom on goal difference.

Halford was frustrated after Saturday’s latest fixture —at home against mid-table Harrogate Railway Athletic — was snowed off, meaning the closing few weeks of the campaign is sure to be tense at times, and also hectic with games set to be crammed in over the next month.

Halford said: “We’ve got 63 points now and initially I figured around 80 would be enough to get into the play-offs.

“I’ve looked at that again though, and now I think we need seven wins from our last eight at least.

“It’s so tight up there and there are teams who’ve got games in hand on us who will be looking to sneak into that top five.

“Curzon Ashton and Clitheroe are just a point behind us and Ramsbottom, while sixth-placed New Mills have five games in hand on us but are only three points behind.

“Trafford and Cammell Laird have got three games in hand on us and are in seventh and eighth places respectively.

“These are all teams which we need to try and keep at arms length.

“We had a great opportunity to do that on Saturday but I guess we can’t really do much about the weather.”

The Lilywhites will not return to league action until Saturday when they are scheduled to host struggling Radcliffe Borough.

The next game for Halford’s men will see them try to retain the Manchester Premier Cup when they take on Salford City in the 2013 final at Stockport County’s Edgeley Park ground on Wednesday night.

An in-depth preview of that game will appear in Wednesday’s Chronicle.

UNSURPRISINGLY both Oldham Boro and Chadderton saw their Vodkat North West Counties League First Division games called off on Saturday due to the awful snowy conditions.

Boro’s trip to Irlam will now take place tomorrow night (7.45pm kick-off), while Chadderton’s home game against rock-bottom Holker Old Boys will go ahead on Thursday night at Butterworth Street.

Chadderton travel to Formby tomorrow night, for a match that will kick-off at 8pm.

Meanwhile, Boro have signed Ryan Alessandra from Rochdale Town.