ATHERTON Colls manager Alan Lord was brutally honest with his view of the Alder House outfit's opening day North West Counties League Division One home 1-0 defeat by Kidsgrove Athletic.

"We were garbage," stormed Lordie. Concensus of opinion from the terraces appeared to differ with many feeling their team could have pinched a result against one of the pre-season title favourites.

Lord however, demands the highest standards from his players and if they fail to deliver a miss is as good as a mile as far as he is concerned. "We were absolute rubbish," says Lordie. "Alright we were struggling with absentees going into the game but the team I put out was still capable of doing a lot better than we did. I managed to sign a keeper, Alex Lawler from Hyde United, at the last minute and Paul Cox had shaken off his knee injury but overall we were well below par throughout the game. We got what we deserved - nothing." Colls went down 1-0 again on Tuesday night at Ramsbottom United but this time Lord saw the defeat differently. "Ramsbottom looked a very, very good side," he says. "They finished third last season and they've strengthened since then. We were second best all night but having said that we battled ever so hard and defended superbly. I can't complain about my lads if they've put the effort in."

Colls have Mark Fitton, Colin Lomas and Luke Hardman back for tomorrow's trip to Mossley.

IT was a day of disaster for Atherton LR in the opening Division Two league game of the season with a 1-0 defeat at Formby. Skipper Paul Meredith's flight was delayed on his return from holiday and he missed the game, contract defender Barry Cotterill badly sprained an ankle and is out for two weeks minimum and goalkeeper Andy Hills picked up a groin injury after only half an hour. Highly rated striker Damien Stewart who last season was with Dulwich Hamlet started on the bench as he only returned at the last minute from a visit down south to see his father who had been taken ill. Before he knew where he was he was in the action - taking over the goalkeeping gloves from the stricken Hills! He did very well in the unaccustomed role and there was little he could do about Formby's winner on 55 minutes. Rovers bounced back in the Tuesday night fixture to record a 2-0 home win over Bootle, goals coming from Colin Entwistle and Barry Massay. LR unveil their new kit and the name of their new sponsor at tomorrow's home game against Oldham Town.

DAISY Hill have made two big signings this week - a new sponsorship deal with Arla Foods and 21 year old leftside midfielder Lee Molyneux from Leigh RMI. Another young Daisy player Mick Ford has been away all week - training with the England Schoolboys Under 18s squad

ATHERTON LR's home game against Oldham Town will see a nice little treat for Martin Butler son of Atherton Town club secretary Gerald. He recently won a brand new car in LR's Goldbond Lottery and he receives the keys and the gleaming red Vauxhall Corsa Trip.

SATURDAY FIXTURES: North West Counties League - Mossley v Atherton Colls, Atherton LR v Oldham Town, Padiham v Daisy Hill. Manchester League - Atherton Town v Dukinfield Town, Mitchell Shack v Pennington, Hindsford v Old Alts. West Lancs League - Blackrod Town v Freckleton, Carnforth Rangers v Tempest United