ASKAM’S Fallowfield Park and Brisbane Park, home of Hindpool Tigers, stage the main attractions for amateur rugby league fans tomorrow.
Askam have recovered from their bruising win over Hull Dockers to entertain Drighlington, while the Tigers face Warrington’s Latchford Albion.
The rest of our sides are on the road, with Ulverston facing probably the toughest trip when they take on Manchester Rangers at the Regional Arena, part of the city’s Etihad Complex.
ASKAM v DRIGHLINGTON
(Fallowfield Park, 2.30pm)
COACH Dave Clark, delighted at his side’s hard-won victory over Hull Dockers, was in confident mood ahead of the home game with Yorkshire visitors Drighlington in National Conference League Division Two.
“It was our toughest game of the season and the celebrations of the players at the end showed how much it meant to them to get through a game in which both sides gave everything,” he said. “It was a really important won. They were a really tough physical side.””
The Sandrats, who came so close last season, are again pushing for promotion and Clark is delighted with their attitude.
“They are a joy to coach,” he said.
Joe Satterthwaite is the only major absentee so Askam expect to be at near full-strength for the visit of Drighlington, whose place in the table – third-from-bottom – might disguise their true strength as they have several games in hand on all the other teams in the division.
HINDPOOL TIGERS
v LATCHFORD ALBION
(Brisbane Park, 2.30pm)
FRESH from their crushing win over Leigh Miners A, the Tigers are back in hometown action in North West Men’s Division One. But they can expect a much tougher test when Latchford Albion visit Brisbane Park.
The Warrington side are lying just one place and a couple of points behind the Tigers, and although they were beaten 26-16 by Walney Central, they have run up a couple of big scores in securing their three victories.
However, the Tigers will be full of confidence following their 50-18 victory over Leigh Miners, a victory marked by a five-star, 34-point contribution from full-back Connor McDermott.
SALFORD CITY ROOSTERS
v BARROW ISLAND
ISLAND travel down the M6 confident of shaking off any hangover from their Barton Townley Cup exit at the hands of Walney Central.
The club are going well in the league – four wns from their first five games – and make several changes from the side that suffered that surprise cup defeat.
Dan White, Blain Marwood and Matt Parkinson are among the players to return as they aim to consolidate their place in the top three.
“We are getting some momentum going, although the game with Walney was a blip,” explained coach Joe Elliott.
“We have a big month coming up and we won’t be taking Salford lightly after they put together a couple of good home wins.”
DEWSBURY CELTIC v MILLOM
MILLOM have been racking up the points recently, and player/coach Tom Sibley hopes they can take their home form on the road – starting with this weekend’s trip to Dewsbury.
“Apart from the Barrow Island game, we have been scoring well,” he said. “It’s all about confidence and I think the fact that we like a dry pitch is a factor.”
Although injuries, holidays and other commitments deprive Millom of several key men, Sibley is hoping the Woollybacks can come up with their second away win of the season to add to the hard-fought victory up at Gateshead.
Millom and Celtic are locked together in mid-table, with three wins, although the Yorkshire club have a game in hand.
HALTON SIMMS CROSS
v WALNEY CENTRAL
HIGH-FLYING Cents are counting the cost of two big wins in four days last week and could be without several key players for the trip to Widnes.
George Nicholls, Jake Devereux and Stu Tippett are three major doubts as Walney aim to extend their unbeaten record in the North West Men’s League Division One.
Joint-coach Dave Bell explained: “We are on a learning curve with a lot of youngsters coming through.
“It was a big effort against Barrow Island and we followed it up against Mayfield on Saturday.”
The injury list may mean that Bell and fellow coach Dave Warne have to draft in players after tonight’s Barrow and District A-team game against Barrow Island.
MANCHESTER RANGERS
v ULVERSTON
ULVERSTON coach Phil Atkinson was left to count his casualty list when the club suffered a total of eight injuries in two games over the weekend.
Tadgh Butler (knee), James Porter (groin), Liam Winfield (ankle ligaments) are the major injuries, and Rowan Smedley and Steve O’Connor are only 50/50. They will also be without top-scorer Connor Saunders.
Ulverston break new ground when they travel to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium complex to take on the North West Men’s Division Two leaders, and their selection worries are slightly eased by the return of Jack Akrigg and Alastair McGregor – both Manchester-based and eager to help out.
Rangers, whose long-term plans are regularly reported to include an eventual step up into the semi-pro ranks of League One, have made a flying start to the season with five wins from six games, while Ulverston’s return from the Cumbria League sees them in mid-table with two wins from four games.
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