RADCLIFFE Boro's season got off to a disappointing start in a 1-0 defeat at Worksop.

A 21st-minute strike from Darren Rookyard proved just too much for Kevin Glendon's side.

Club secretary David Murgatroyd said: "It was looking like a certain 0-0 and then we conceded that goal. A draw would really have been the fair result because there were few chances created by either side. we were certainly not firing on all cylinders."

Boro face the UniBond Division One new boys, Stocksbridge PS, today but the loss of strikers Peter McCrae (ankle) and Frankie Bunn (holiday), midfielder Tony Camilleri (knee) and defender David Bean (groin) has put a dampener on the Boro start.

RETURNING striker Gavin McDonald was on the scoresheet for Atherton LR but a rather lacklustre performance saw Rovers crash to a heavy defeat.

Recent signing from Radcliffe, Dave Channon, made a steady debut at centre-back as did other debutantes in midfield, Paul Griffin (ex-RMI) and Simon O'Brien (ex-Stoneclough).

Manager Dave Morris said: "They were worth their win but not by a 4-1 margin. We made errors and got punished, whereas they played well and scored some good goals."

All-round sportsman Mark Stewart, who missed Saturday's game as he is still cricketing with Greenmount, returns for tonight's top clash with Leigh RMI.

ATHERTON Colls went down at home to the side that pipped them to the second division championship last season, Vauxhall GM.

Manager Steve Walton said: "It was a game we shouldn't have lost because we created four good chances. Graham Dodd blazed wide of an open goal and he, Peter Oldbury and Alan Shawcross all had one-on-one situations and didn't finish.

"We gave a soft goal away in the second half that ironically came from our corner kick! It wasn't a great game and we just didn't take our chance. There will be changes for tonight's Trafford game as we are hoping to have Gary Henshaw and Mick Bennett available."

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