JOHN MOORES student Joe Bowmer is the latest player to be registered by New Brighton.

The winger or centre, who has played for Westcombe Park, will be eligible for consideration for Saturday’s North Two West home clash with Sandbach.

The Blues will be looking for a much improved performance after suffering their first league reverse at Lymm at the weekend. The setback followed a first defeat of the season the previous week at Leigh in the National Cup.

Brighton could not find any excuses for the 44-17 score against Lymm. They always seemed to be chasing the game after going behind to an early penalty. Their normally safe defence was found wanting and there were not enough attacking options.

The return of skipper Kati Tuipulotu failed to stir the Blues, who were near to full strength on the day but were totally outsmarted.

Stephen Dean managed an interception try in the opening half and Steve Perryman gained a touchdown late on.

But head coach Steve Dorrington knows there is work to do before the Sandbach encounter, which provides a big victory opportunity. It is the last of the scheduled 3m kick-offs on Saturday with future start times during the winter months to be agreed with the visiting clubs as the Blues have a floodlights option.

There should be plenty of support from the sidelines for the Sandbach visit with the annual past players get-together including a pre-match lunch.

New Brighton will again be hosting the Wirral Floodlit Cup competition later this season. Clubs did not agree with a suggestion to put the matches on Friday evenings and they will again take place on Wednesdays from January.

There will also be a re-vamped junior knockout with ties preceding Floodlit Cup games at 6pm.