RADCLIFFE BORO make the long journey to Blyth Spartans tomorrow with players, officials and management having plenty of time to reflect on the importance of the game.

The 2-0 home defeat an Wednesday at the hands of Guiseley casts Boro even further adrift at the bottom of the Unibond Premier Division table.

The gap to third bottom, Bamber Bridge, may only be one point, but Boro have played two more games than the Preston outfit. Rock bottom, and to all intents and purposes, doomed, are Alfreton Town. Boro are worryingly stuck in that other relegation slot and there are now just eight games left. Thankfully, two of those fixtures are against Bamber Bridge and the whole relegation issue could rest on the outcome of those two matches.

Any points picked up in the meantime will be a big bonus, starting tomorrow in the North East. Leading goalscorer Ian Lunt returns after a one-match suspension and fellow striker Colin McRory is also available after missing the Guiseley game through work commitments. Centre back Simon Whittle is hoping to be fit again after missing three games with an ankle injury.

ATHERTON LR travel to Chadderton tomorrow rocked by the resignation of management team Gerry Luczka and Steve Walton just two weeks after chairman Brian Horsburgh rocked the club.

Luczka explained: "I came in to do a three-year job. I didn't inherit one player, but we stopped the slide and had a superb youth scheme in place under Peter Nicholson."

The big question now for Rovers will be what the players will do. When the payment of expenses was stopped two weeks ago, every single player stood by Luczka and agreed to play for nothing. After that sort of loyalty, now he has gone, there is the fear of a mass exodus.

ATHERTON COLLS entertain Clitheroe tomorrow looking for a win to widen the gap from the NWCL Division 1 bottom two places. Simon O'Brien and Dave Barry miss the game as they both serve out the second week of a three-week suspension. On a brighter note, Neil Wright, Paul Whittle and Scott Dowds are all fit and available. Striker Mark Price, a recent singing from LR, may be given his home debut by manager Tommy Harrison.

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