NON-LEAGUE PREVIEW ATHERTON LR, unbeaten in the last six league games, face the long journey to Worksop Town tomorrow in the Unibond first division with manager Dave Morris still troubled by injuries to his centre backs.

Paul Kirwan, Jimmy Evans, Mick Southern and Rob Holgate will definitely miss the game with Andy Feeley gaining a late fitness rest on his troublesome knee injury.

Recent signing Lee Sculpher from Clitheroe looks set for his second start since his transfer and Chris Ree is also included in the squad.

LEIGH RMI, boosted by the welcome 6-4 Challenge Cup win over Gt Harwood in mid-week, hope to have Tony Briffa back in the squad after a long injury for the trip to Gretna Green.

RADCLIFFE BORO manager Kevin Glendon has been set a real poser by his team in the last seven days - how can a side that was brimming over with scintillating football suddenly start playing so badly that two games are literally thrown away?

Last Saturday Boro went down by a single goal at Gretna and in midweek crashed at home in the Unibond Challenge Cup by a 3-0 scoreline to Premier Division strugglers Droylesden.

These two shock defeats followed hot on the heels of a string of results and displays that had set the Division One Table alight and made rivals wary of the 'Boro'.

The answer must be found quickly for tomorrow's visit to Lincoln United if Boro are to stay in touch with runaway leaders Lancaster City.

In the North West Counties League ATHERTON COLLS manager Steve Walton and assistant Ian Lamb took a sneak look at tomorrow's FA Vase Second qualifying round opponents Salford City in midweek and came away full of confidence. "We went to have a look at their home game with St Helens Town on Tuesday and saw them lose 2-1," said Steve. "They are a big side but not very mobile and play very square at the back. We have some genuine pace in our team and I'm sure we will be able to exploit this weakness."

Certainly Colls appear to have little to fear in the bid to add yet another higher club scalp to the seven giant-killing acts of last season.

Gary Henshaw looks doubtful for the trip as his services may be required by Hyde United while keeper Keith Schofield is definitely out with a thigh injury and midfielder Anthony Timmons faces a late fitness test on a niggling knee injury.

DAISY HILL manager Jimmy Hulton read the riot act after a series of displays that he feels have disgraced the New Sirs Club.

"I'm not going to sit on the bench and be embarrassed by the sort of performance we put in last weekend at Ramsbottom United when we just chucked the game away," he said. "I gave them such a going over at half time that I had to go and apologise to the tea ladies in the next room afterwards in case I had frightened them as well! I have made it very clear to them all that I will not accept this sort of attitude."

Not one single player looks certain of his place for Daisy's rough away trip to sixth in the table, Haslingden.

Tomorrow's fixtures - Unibond Division One: Gretna v Leigh RMI; Lincoln United v Radcliffe Boro; Worksop Town v Atherton LR.

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round: Salford City v Atherton Colls. NWCL Division Two: Haslingden v Daisy Hill. Manchester League - Premier Division: Rochdale Sacred Heart v Atherton Town; Abbey Hey v Little Hulton United. First Division: Breightmet United v Hollinwood; Pennington v Old Alts. West Lancs League - Division One: Dalton United v Blackrod Town; Turton v Freckleton. Division Two: Tempest United v kirkham and Wesham.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.