Park’s must-win repeat

Apr 2 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

THE return of inspirational skipper Stephen Briers to the West Park side for the critical rerun of their home game against Bradford & Bingley this Saturday could be just the tonic for the Merseysiders who now find themselves well within the drop zone of National Three North.

Had the referee last weekend not abandoned the game early in the second half with visitors’ full-back James Hewitt carried off with a broken leg amid grim playing conditions, then relegation troubles would have certainly deepened for the home side.

Morley’s narrow win over Harrogate and Macclesfield’s tremendous victory at home against Darlington Mowden Park has increased the anxiety at Red Rocks especially for Coach Chris Chudleigh. He is well aware a win in the repeat this weekend is a must.

Though mathematically several permutations in the danger zone are still possible a good win could move them narrowly nearer to safety. Chris Chudleigh was grateful for the referee’s decision last Saturday. He said: “It was certainly a hard decision for the referee to make.

“It is now fairer to lose and go down after a rugby game rather than a paddling contest – last Saturday’s game was little more than that.”

Apart from there being some doubt about the fitness of Phil Webster who has been suffering from a virus, they should be at full strength with Rob Hitchmough likely to be on the bench.