RADCLIFFE Boro pleas to Unibond officials earlier in the week to have tomorrow's home clash with Congleton Town switched from being cup to a league fixture fell on deaf ears.

Concern had been growing at Stainton Park over the recent high number of postponed games and the cup taking scheduling preference.

The current Division One listing shows Radcliffe in 19th spot but having played upto a massive nine games less than some other clubs. The irony of the situation with the league cup is that the group stages see every team qualify, going into either the Presidents Cup or the Challenge Cup depending on the finishing place.

The Congleton tie is followed on Tuesday by a home clash with Stalybridge Celtic in the same competition before Boro return to league action a week tomorrow with a visit of Gretna. Striker Neil Hardy is a certain non starter for the Congleton clash with a knee injury.

Striker returns IN the NWCL Division One Ramsbottom United have Abbey Hey as visitors to the Riverside Ground. Manager Ken Bridge adds fit again striker David Yorke-Robinson to his squad.

Atherton Colls' scheduled home clash with title favourites Prescot Cables has been postponed due to the Merseysiders being involved in an FA Vase tie.

Atherton LR's NWCL Worthington Cup Preliminary Round away tie at Oldham Town is becoming a bit of a bugbear for the club. Five times the game has been postponed and the two will try for lucky six tomorrow.

More significantly for new boss Alan Lord there is little he can do to start moulding the team how he wants it until the game is out of the way.

"Any signings I make won't be eligible to play in this cup tie," says Lord. "I have to hang fire for the moment before I can start changing things. On the plus side it gives the lads already at the club the chance to impress."

Three players earmarked by the Crilly Park boss to add to his playing strength, Mark Fitton and Liam Boden from his former club Colls and Neil Wright, whose father Ken is manager at Chorley where he has been playing in the Reserves, are ready to sign. A fourth, Mark Parry, has not yet been released by Colls.

Daisy Hill also face a Preliminary Round tie in the league cup which has been several times postponed, at home to fourth in the table Padiham.