Slyne to play cup tie at Lancaster City's Giant Axe

Slyne-with-Hest will play at Lancaster City's Giant Axe this Saturday as they bid to put their weather woe behind them.
Slyne's Bottomdale Road has felt the full force of the recent bad weather.Slyne's Bottomdale Road has felt the full force of the recent bad weather.
Slyne's Bottomdale Road has felt the full force of the recent bad weather.

Ian Roe’s West Lancashire Premier Division side have played just once since the end of November, a defeat to rock bottom Lostock St Gerards last weekend, due to the wet and wintery conditions that have battered the district for the last couple of months.

Now the Bottomdale Road outfit are hoping their Richardson Cup first round tie at the home of the Dolly Blues will be the start of more regular Saturday football between now and the end of the season.

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Assistant manager Paul Rigby, a former City full back, said: “I want to say a big thank you to Lancaster City.

“(City president) Ian Sharp sorted it out for us. He lives in Slyne and has done a few bits for us in the past.

“It’s a big help because then our next home game isn’t until the end of March and it should give the pitch time to recover.

“The water’s all gone but it’s really soft.

“Things aren’t looking too bad though because we’ve got 12 games left and eight are away.”

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Slyne are currently ninth in the West Lancashire Premier Division having struggled to build on last season’s excellent third place.

Rigby said: “We lost Scott Greenwood one of our big defenders who has moved away.

“Three or four others have moved on so it’s been quite tough really.

“We’ve struggled with our back four and even though we’ve scored more goals we’ve let plenty in too.

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“The league has got harder though and the quality has gone up.”

The club also saw their reserve side fold this year with Rigby hoping it can be restarted next year.

The assistant boss believes developing young players is key if the club is to compete with the likes of Tony Hesketh’s Fulwood Amateurs who are racing clear at the top of the table.

Rigby said: “Getting younger players in must be the focus.

“It’s been a tough year because the reserves folded in early September.

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“We are looking to start it up again next year and if anyone’s interested in getting involved we’d like to hear from them.”

The game against Eagley kicks off at 3pm at Giant Axe with entry for the Richardson Cup tie free.