; Spoii in assdciationvwith - f 012S2 424041 . Thursday, July 22nd, 2004


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Blues boss Sculpher close to bolstering title squad


by Adrian Capstick V /~t _ I • 1


C L I T H E R O E toughed it out on Sat-


/^urday in what proved '^to be a very promising start to pre-season against Conference North opponents Stalybridge Celtic. And despite narrowly


losing 3-2, the Blues acquitted themselves well considering they had a less than ample squad, and the majority of play­ ers had to go the full 90 minutes as they only had


two substitutes to call on.


Blues’ manager Lee


;-V>Sculpher was more than happy with the effort shown by his side in what


proved to be a far from easy return to action fol­ lowing last season’s


^ r-._ t '


championship-winning heroics. He said: “ I was very


pleased with the efforts shown on Saturday, con­ sidering we're only five sessions into pre-season training. “But if we'd known


just quite when the new UniBond season started, then I would probably have looked to playing our first game this Satur­ day rather than last. “But saying that, it


can only add to fitness levels, and it proved to be a good workout for the lads against a very organised side.” Sculpher added:


“Stalybridge were always going to be technically better than us but I thought we did very well in the circumstances. “We only had a squad


of 13 due to a few nig­ gling injuries sustained by players in mid-week, and one of our substi­ tutes was a keeper. “So when a lad we were


giving a trial to clattered heads in the first 10 min­ utes and had to go off, we were a little restricted for the rest of the game.” Looking to Saturday


against newly-elected- North West Counties League Second Division side Silsden, and then First Division opponents RamsbottomHnited on Tuesday


evening.


Sculpher believes both sides will be a good test. He said: “ I've heard


good things about Sils­ den, that they are used to winning silverware coming from the West Riding Premier Division, so they should be a capa­ ble side.


“But no disrespect to


them, this Saturday's game should be a total role-reversal to last week's game against Stalybridge Celtic, and the trip to Ramsbottom United is also guaranteed to be a good run out.” On the player front, a


few fresh faces are edging ever closer to a possible place in the Biues squad. The Clitheroe player- manager has a midfield


player with several years’ UniBond experience coming down to Shaw- bridge for both the Sat­ urday and Tuesday's games-. He has also been talk­


ing to a defender who is interested in training with the club tonight, as well as setting up a meet­ ing with a centre for­ ward. However, with two


friendlies in a week approaching, Sculpher is grateful that nearly everyone will be back in training with the club by next Thursday - with the home fixture against Colne on July 31st the most likely date to see a full Blues squad in action.


Promising display


Clitheroe.....................2 Stalybridge C eltic___3 CLITHEROE produced an encouraging perfor­ mance in their opening pre-season friendly against higher division opponents. Stalybridge will be play­


ing Conference North football this coming sea­ son, and a Blues side miss­ ing several first team regu­ lars will have been pleased with their workout. With several players


STRIKER Gary Jackson chases the ball down (above), while player-manager Lee Sculpher has his hands full


" I .


missing for Clitheroe, a shortage of available sub­ stitutes saw many piayers getting a fuil 90 minutes of action under their belts. The visitors took the lead midway through the


first half with a scrappy goal. The Blues couldn’t clear


the danger, and a simple tap-in opened the scoring. Gary Jackson, who


proved a constant threat to the Stalybridge defence, equalised early in the sec­ ond half. Picking the ball up 35


yards from goal, a strong run and neatly-executed


finish provided him with a deserved reward from an excellent performance. Ex-reserve team goal­


keeper Danny Woodhead replaced Kris Richens at half-time and produced a mixed display. A couple of excellent


saves and blocks were then blotted by the next two' Stalybridge goals, which arrived in quick succes­ sion.


The visitors went in


front with another scram­ bled goal, before Wood- head was caught out by a


long-range effort moments later. However, Jackson was


at the heart of Clitheroe’s second goal, as his pres­ ence in the penalty area caused confusion for the Stalybridge goalkeeper, allowing the ball to fall invitingly to Neil Spencer, who duly tapped home into an empty goal. With several fringe


players from last season playing-the full game, Clitheroe can take heart from this performance as the squad begins to build towards the start of the league campaign next month.


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977096336509630 IN WHERE IT HURTS: Gary Jackson chaUenees the Slalvbridee keener ■f"


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