Chudleigh determined to avoid drop once again

Mar 5 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WEST PARK’S new head coach Chris Chudleigh has certainly moved into a hot seat.

Following the sacking of Martin Jones just over a week ago, the team hovers dangerously close – just two points – away from the relegation zone in National Three North.

With just five games left and tough trips ahead to Darlington Mowden Park and promotion candidates Leicester Lions there is little respite.

Even their home games seem challenging with Preston Grasshoppers and Bradford & Bingley to follow local rivals Caldy this weekend.

A minimum of two wins would seem to be a realistic target.

But Chudleigh is no stranger to tense battles as in his coaching career he has already had the bitter pill to swallow when he was in charge at Orrell in their last season in the National League before going out of existence.

“It is not a pill I want to swallow twice,” Chudleigh said. “It has in some ways been horrible taking over from Martin Jones because most of the lads in the squad were his players and he recruited many of them.”

Under-standably, Jones’s departure was felt throughout the club but Park have only lost prop Liam McLoughlin and flanker Paul Bamber to Hoppers. The rest of the squad are pulling together and there is every suggestion that they want to make sure the club survives in National Three North having worked so hard to get there.

Last Saturday’s display against Harrogate gave some indication of good intent but in the end the Merseysiders were just out-muscled despite two good tries from skipper Stephen Briers and Andy Soutar.

Meanwhile, lock Dave Westhead, who was sent off at Tynedale on February 16 for verbal abuse of a match official, was found not guilty and had his case dismissed at the RFU Disciplinary hearing at Leeds on Monday night.

But from now until the end of the season West Park will live on a knife edge.

Injuries may prove vital, with playmaker Rob Hitchmough still troubled and centre Dave Cunliffe just out of hospital having suffered a throat injury against Fylde.