Garstang boss warns team of Slyne's threat

The two sides meet in the Richardson Cup with Garstang travelling to a side two places beneath them in the West Lancashire League Premier Division.

“Since we beat them 5-0 last month, I don’t think they have won a game,” Baker said.

“They can’t keep losing, however, while we can’t go on winning forever.

“It’s a tight pitch there without much chance of taking a touch; as soon as a you do, there’s someone on you.

“They are a good side and they score a lot of goals – but they also concede.”

In contrast, Garstang’s defence has tightened up of late with Manchester Gregorians the latest side to be shut out last weekend – making it a third consecutive clean sheet for Baker’s team.

“The most pleasing thing for me about Saturday was we created chances but we’ve also now kept five clean sheets in the last seven games,” he said.

“Clean sheets are one thing I like to pride myself upon, 
especially because we’ve had a few lads unavailable – all of whom have been part of the back four.”

Baker also praised his team’s mental strength after their penalty shoot-out win on Saturday.

He said: “We were playing on an old 3G pitch, against a team we don’t know.

“The surface wasn’t the modern 3G one so the result didn’t really bother me but, in terms of how the lads approached it, it was another mental test. I’m just so pleased that they tackled it in the right way.”