MISFIRING HYDE UNITED travel to Grantham in the Evo-stik premier division tomorrow (Saturday) looking to rediscover the bite that has been missing so far this season.
The Tigers, who barely lost a game for 18 months, are out of the FA Cup and have won only once in the league so far, and that was on the first day of the campaign. They have struggled to score, too, finding the net only five times in six NPL matches.
Manager Darren Kelly has complete confidence in his squad’s talent and character but he may have to head to Lincolnshire without the highly-rated Luke Porritt who needs a fitness test. The wideman missed the 2-0 midweek defeat by Warrington after suffering a succession of very heavy challenges at Colne last Saturday.
Centre-back John McCombe’s knee problem looks to have cleared up and he should return. Ross Daly is also available but has a three-match ban looming after getting a straight red on Tuesday.
STALYBRIDGE CELTIC will be without three key players as they bid to end a run of four consecutive defeats.
Midfielders Tom Brown (hamstring) and Greg Wilkinson (hip) will be absent when the Bridge take on newly-promoted and unbeaten Bamber Bridge at Bower Fold.
Goalkeeper James Aspinall will make his home debut after arriving on loan from Bolton Wanderers to replaced Jake Taylor who has a broken wrist.
Adam Morgan, the hat-trick hero of CURZON ASHTON’s FA Cup second-round tie against Wimbledon in 2016, is back at the Tameside Stadium and should play in tomorrow’s home game with Brackley Town in National League North.
Morgan, a proven goalscorer and an England international at under-17 and under-19 level, gave the Nash a 3-0 lead against the Dons only for the EFL side to spoil the fairytale with four goals in the last ten minutes. He then spent two years at Halifax before joining League of Ireland club Sligo Rovers.
Curzon’s only absentee is Cameron McJannett who has a calf strain. Defender Danny Shaw is doubtful with knee ligament damage.
ASHTON UNITED are away to Hereford. The Bulls sacked their boss, Peter Beadle, earlier this week but Robins manager Jody Banim rejects any suggestion that will make the game easier for his team.
“It won’t help because it’ll make Hereford unpredictable. We’ve been planning for the previous manager and the way he sets teams up. Now we don’t know what their approach will be,” said Banim.
Three players are out of contention: Kyle Jacobs, Nicky Platt and Mathias Bakare. Striker John McAtee has returned to Shrewsbury Town.
In the Evo-stik NPL first division west, GLOSSOP NORTH END will have another new face in the side at Widnes. Joel Bembo Leta has been signed from Bangor City and should go into the team alongside former Stoke City youngster Theo Brierley who made his debut against Skelmersdale last week.
DROYLSDEN, who ended Colne’s 100 per cent start to the season in midweek, entertain Chasetown, but will do so with five players missing. Callum Bagshaw, Michael Brewster, Ryan Jennings and Alex Frost are all injured. Sam Madeley is unavailable due to work commitments.
There is good and bad news for MOSSLEY who slipped to their first defeat of the season on Tuesday when Trafford beat them with an injury-time goal.
Adam Jones and Dieter Downey are both banned, but Mike Fish’s shoulder injury is not as bad as first thought, and he could feature. Andy Keogh returns and there is a chance Godwin Abadaki could be back.