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CAN HYDE UNITED pick up where they left off last season? That’s the question a lot of Tigers fans will be asking as the new Pitching In Northern Premier League season starts.
When the 2019-20 campaign came to a juddering halt last March, Hyde were in tenth place, ten points away from the play-off positions and through to the semi-finals of the Cheshire Senior Cup and the last eight of the Integro Cup.
If the Tigers are capable of building on last season’s foundations, the first two weeks of the season should provide the evidence as there are home games against FC United, Basford and South Shields who were 12 points clear at the top of the premier division when the pandemic took hold.
Manager Dave McGurk has a string of absences to contend with as he prepares for tomorrow (Saturday’s) visit to Gainsborough Trinity who had a very similar league record to Hyde last year.
Liam Tongue and John McCombe are both suspended. Harry Benns, Joel Logan and Jordan Fagbola won’t play until 2021 and Louis Myers is out for at least a couple of months. Janni Lipka (Achilles) and Chinedu Uche (broken nose) are doubts.
Earlier this week McGurk made three late additions to his squad: academy goalkeeper Riccardo Longato, ex-Southport defender Andy Hollins from Colne, and striker Darius Palma from Curzon Ashton.
STALYBRIDGE CELTIC will be looking to build on their victory at Stocksbridge when they welcome Lancaster City to Bower Fold.
New signing Nick Evangelinos looks likely to make his debut up front as manager Simon Haworth juggles his options with all three substitutes having made significant contributions in the FA Cup last week.
Defender Matty Makinson misses out again with a rib injury.
Fate could just be against the Bridge. Lancaster boss Mark Fell revealed: “In the six or seven seasons I have been a manager, I have never lost on the opening day of the season.
“That’s becoming a horrible thing to keep saying because one day it’s going to catch me out, but obviously we're planning on keeping my record going.
"I usually win the first league game and lose the second. Hopefully we can beat Stalybridge and follow it up by beating Basford.”
ASHTON UNITED come up against former manager Jody Banim when they visit Stafford Rangers. Fresh from a 2-0 FA Cup win over Squires Gate, Robins boss Mike Clegg confined his comments to a terse “fully-fit squad, mate”.
In the premier division north west, wide man Jes Uchegbulam, who made such an impression when he came on as a substitute last Saturday, will be missing from the MOSSLEY side to face Ossett United at Seel Park.
"He's on trial at Fleetwood and picked up an injury on Wednesday. It's a huge shame after the impact he made against St Helens," said manager Dave Fish.
Ste Mason is also injured but otherwise Fish has a full squad to choose from.
Striker Szymon Czubik has left Seel Park to look for regular first-team football. And only a week after chairman Ray Moreland stepped down, influential director Callum Irving, who had been interim chair, has announced his departure from the club. Stephen Porter takes the role until a new chair is appointed.
Peter Band has two injuries — Ali Sheriff and Yves Zama — as he tries to pick up his GLOSSOP NORTH END team after last week's FA Cup defeat by City of Liverpool as they head to Stamford in the first division south east.
Jack Tuohy has trained for the first time in eight months after undergoing knee surgery.
CURZON ASHTON visit Padiham for a friendly.
On Tuesday, Stalybridge are home to Bishop Auckland in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup. Ashton United visit Scarborough an Hyde United have to go all the way up to Newcastle to face West Allotment Celtic of the Northern League first division.
Winning clubs receive £2,250 and the losers get £750.