season gets V ■ ^mderwayin


Clitheroe Page 69


M ^ l g o e s a c e ^ t p ^ m


^Mytton Fold


Page 71


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i ' . : . e ® c y I j * ^'^J^XTEST: Luke B l a c k l e ^ S S c K ^ ^


ByDanBlack


- have taken a risk in'his • bid to propel the career


of burgeoning bpxbr Luke Blackledge. ■


:


■ big-hitting Elvis Dube ^lomorrow evening.


• Almost tluree months ‘have elapsed ; since ^ Blackledge last stepped


” into the ling as he defeated Nathan' fing . for the International Masters


; ^ e n a , a leading factor


s u p e r -mi d d l ewe i g h t crown at Bolton’s Reebok


^


■ up , any trails of ring rust 9. in preparation for April’s voyage to Scandinavia.


•out"'coldpnce SO we know he can bang.‘We are defi­ nitely, taking, a risk,' , but


the. Wythenshawe Forum; Manchester. Now Maree has his fin- ire crossed that all goes ' to plan in, his bid to clear


in M^ee’s'decision to set up tomorrow’s contest at


. “Elvis is quite’a danger- - ous fighter,’^ stated Maree. ' knocked Carl Wild


‘on the honzon, where a highly-anticipated , con- test^with Rudy Markussen awaits,- Maree has matched his potent protege with


With a trip to Denmark


CHAMPfpN trainer Kevin Maree admits to


• because there was' quite a gap between his last outing and the .Markussen con­ test; Luke fights better the V -more active we keep him. ■


Luke needed something to keep him fi-esh and sharp


■ V , “There ,was:’the tempta­ tion to match him vwth a journeyman but it’s better this way. Markussen is a


: 'seriously big hitter so we’ve been worlMg on a gamep- lan in the gym to contend with that. Matching Luke


■ chMce to see , how well prepared we are. That’s why we’ve paired him with • a big hitter, so we can tiy a few things out.” '


vvith Elvis will'give us the ■


■ looking for an improve­ ment on his last outing.- I’m hoping that he takes


. Maree added: “In terms of Friday’s fight I’m just


for Blackledge, similar to those enjoyed by British


; Larsen, in his homeland, arid-Maree is bacMiig his underdog, whp.is tmde- feated in-13 professional bouts, to do the business a g ^ : “We know Liike can’t be reckless against Markussen; Luke’s, a really 'raw, tough, come forward,


in your face , fighter, wluch will have it’s place in some bouts. But Rudy has seen it all before so Luke heeds to be more subtle. We’ve . been working on Luke’s . ‘ , defence and loosened him


. anywhere if you don’t take them. I’m petrified already - but these fights could put him hi a really good' .-position.”


.


toiy at the Arena Nord - in; _ Frederikshavri ; on April , 13th would lead - to ffleater opportunities


Maree believes that vie- - . -t-


-what we’ve learnt in the gym in tp the ring. I’ll be , in his cbriier praying for no cuts or injuries. It’s a mas­ sive risk but you.don’t get'


already knocking oh the door of a British title. He’s phenomenally defeated. - He .wants to learn ,and


improve and these, f i^ ts will stand . him in good stead for the future.


• “It’s another step up in cl^s but I think they’re really underestimating Luke, hppefully to-their detriment. Luke’s, got an unbelievable desire and will to win. To beat him you’d have to pin Him to the canvas'- and standi bn ' him to keep'him dowh!” ,


up on his feet. He’s looking really good to be honest. ■ “He’s only 22 and


title^winning'.. stablemate KeimyAnderson.-, . Blackledge . beat Mads


Clitheroe.. Mossley..;


A CAGEY gamebetween two sides vying for a playoff berth rarely buret into life, but the one moment of real quality saw Chris Mason take the points with a glancing header with only a handful of min­ utes remaining.


' Mbssley were first out o ^ the


blocks but were unable to capi­ talise on a sequence of free kiclre after the Blues defence had con­ ceded fouls in dangerous areas. The play was primarily attritional Md it wasn’t until the 32nd minute that the Blues saw their first real chance. Lee Pugh floated in a great, ball, which Danny Mahoney flicked on to Dean Canning in the box, but the keeper smothered his efforts before he could strike at goal. ^ Five minutes later a Clitheroe comer was only half cleared and Chris Dykes had a good shot well saved However,; the, first half almost ended in ; disaster for the Blues when a .long'clearance bounced towards the. Clitheroe goal,’ arid Hakan sprinted to the edge of his box and managed to use his head


Md body to frustrate the ohrushing forward without using his hands to concede a free kick.


, . Play freed up in the second half,


and apart from the Mbssley play- ere tendency to fall to the ground


yvith alarming regularity, Qitheroe just about shaded it. ' Two min-


j utes in. Dykes juggled the baU and swept a cross shot just wide. ' A minute, later, a great sequence of: ^ p a ^ e s saw Daley Woods burst free (ipwn the right and his ’cross was simply begging to be steered m, but there was no forward on hand. The crowd; started to get frustrated with the referee, not least ;when Lee Pugh received a hareh yellow for a fair challenge, M d , further half chances fell Qitheroe’s way to Dean Canning but the end product lacked qual- The game was settled on the »9th nunute when Danny Mahoney


freed Chris Smalley down the right' Md a whipped in cross was met at fte near post by the finest of daric- mg headers from substitute C h ^ . Mason.


- v u ball,, but , the home side stuck to. , ■ chanipagne ■ foot--


its task well and on balance deserved their three points. They will now hope to take this form into their next two games , away at Wakefield


and Ramsbottom next Tuesday. • A FULL report from Satiuday’s 0-0 draw at


, Burecbiigh is on page 69. 95p ISSN 1355-3658


9771355365489 09 >


/■/1355 365489


The Clitheroe Advertiser and Tunes IS published by East Lancashire


Newspapers Limited, BuU Street, Bundey.BBll IDP(Tel: 01282426161, clarified 01282422331), and printed by Newsprinters (Knowsley) Limited. ^ ^ gR o a d , Prescot, Merseyside, L34 9HN (Teh 0151546 2000. Reitercd ^ a new^Mper at the Post Office. Keproduraon of the contents of this new^per in any manner is not permitted wthout prior consent of the publisher. East Lanrashire Newspapers Ltd.

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