Mossley gear up for crunch clashes

Peter Band

MOSSLEY are gearing up for a run of three crucial home games as the battle for Evo-Stik League Division One North survival continues, writes SIMON SMEDLEY.

The injury-ravaged Lilywhites have lost their last four games, meaning they have dropped to fourth from bottom in the table. The bottom two teams will be relegated to the Hallmark Security League.

Joint manager Peter Band is now looking for his team to pick up some much-needed points from the forthcoming three games at Seel Park.

League leaders Lancaster City roll into town tomorrow, but following that are home clashes against Radcliffe Borough on Tuesday and second-bottom Goole on Saturday week.

"Of course Lancaster will be tough for us," said Band.

"But we've shown on numerous occasions this season that we are capable of competing with any of the top sides.

"We certainly need to be picking some points up from the following two games.

"If we can do that, it will give us something to build on ahead of the closing stages of the season.

'PRESSURE'

"Myself and Lloyd (fellow joint-boss Morrison) do put pressure on ourselves to succeed, but we have had a bad run of injuries of late and we've lost some good players, in particular Mike Fish and Andy Keogh."

Logan Jeffs and Caldon Henson are the latest Mossley players to be ruled out with injuries.

However, Band and Morrison have signed striker Liam Ellis from Chadderton and are awaiting international clearance before snapping up former Swindon Town centre-back Charles Comyn.

He took in a spell playing in Australia so needs re-registering back home.

CHADDERTON face another test of their potential Hallmark Security League Division One play-off credentials as they head to Staffordshire tomorrow to take on Alsager Town.

Mark Howard's side continues to be a strong outside bet to reach the top six with 17 games to play, but they could set pulses racing faster if they win at fourth-placed Alsager.