Lilywhites ‘buzzing’ for league opener

JOINT boss Peter Band reckons his Mossley side have a solid defensive base.

Non-league football:

NEW joint-manager Peter Band hopes his Mossley team will send their supporters home happy on Saturday.

After a frantic close season at Seel Park, the Lilywhites get their 2013-14 Evo-Stik Division One North season underway at home to Kendal Town.

“The players are buzzing,” said former Hyde United and Altrincham stalwart Band. “I’ve not been in charge for long, but I think people are starting to see how well things have come together in pre-season.

“We’ve heard lots of positive comments from other managers on how solid we’re looking. But it’s all about Saturday now.”

After finishing fourth and reaching the play-offs last season, the Lilywhites lost player-manager Steve Halford for Tameside neighbours Ashton United in June.

Band, Halford’s assistant, was moved up to the top job at Seel Park and has drafted in Lloyd Morrison as joint-manager alongside him.

Only Sam Madeley, Danny Broadbent, Ryan Hopper, Mark Haslam, Lewis Nightingale, Russ Saunders and Tyrone Sealey remain from last season’s playing roster, but Band is happy with the look and the size of his squad going into the weekend.

He added: “Defensively I feel we’re more solid than last year, and we will need that toughness.

“Certainly Kendal are tough and physical. I believe they try to do a lot of damage from set-pieces, so we have to be ready to try and combat that threat.”