THE key figure at Radcliffe Boro at the moment is the club groundsman.

As with his many counterparts around the country he has combated the elements over recent weeks and it's been a losing battle.

On Monday he lost out again in attempts to get Boro's massive FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay against Burscough played. A 1pm pitch inspection today would decide whether the game was to go ahead tonight.

Boro manager Kevin Glendon said: "He really has worked his socks off to get the pitch right but when it rains like it has done recently there is just no chance." The Stainton Park number is 0161 724 8346. If you looked at the pitch at the moment you would think it was perfect but there is a strip down one side that is not draining well at all and that is where our problem lies.

"Hopefully we can get it on tonight. If not it has to be played next Monday and our home FA Trophy replay against Leek Town then moves to the following week creating more and more of a backlog.

"Everyone is fit and available at the moment. I left out Mark Dempsey and Ian Lunt on Saturday with a view to the Burscough game being on Monday and it must be one of the youngest sides I have ever fielded. We had had a dozen 19-year-olds in there and three twenty-year-olds but they really did superbly.

"We have got some cracking youngsters at the moment. Last week I signed another on a tip-off as 18-year-old Craig Taylor who is to be released from the YTS at Tranmere at Christmas came training with us and he looks a tremendous prospect." The Stainton Park number is 0161 724 8346.

Atherton LR entertain Daisy Hill in a rescheduled NWCL Division Two Trophy round one game tomorrow night. The Crilly Park number is 01942 883950.