Football - Shrimps to make it tough test (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Shrimps to make it tough test

9:33am Friday 1st August 2008 in

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WITH ex-Celtic striker Diarmuid O' Carroll and former England non-league skipper Craig Stanley among those touted to make the trip up from Morecambe to face Kendal Town next Tuesday evening, Lee Ashcroft's men look set to face another searching pre-season test. writes Arran Jolly.

Almost certain to play is highly-rated England student international Aaron Taylor, who recently destroyed Welsh Premier League side Rhyl with a four-goal salvo as England Students ran out 4-0 winners.

Morecambe boss Sammy Mcllroy has indicated Taylor could well be granted a first-team chance this season, which has left Town manager Ashcroft under no illusions as to the calibre of player Town will be up against.

" We don't have the same strength in depth as sides such as Morecambe, so I'll be playing my first team.

"I've spoken to Sammy and he's said he'll send a strong side, so we want to make sure we give a good account of ourselves."

With almost a week since the dramatic 3-2 win over Barrow in which the visiting Lee Woodyatt broke his leg, Ashcroft reflected on both the good and bad from an eventful Saturday.

"It's very unfortunate the lad has ended up with a horrific injury.

"I spoke to Lee and he admitted Callum (Warburton) got the ball. It's just football - you see it in the Premiership, but obviously everyone at Kendal Town wishes him a quick and full recovery."

While Woodyatt's injury was the major talking point from Saturday's game, Ashcroft was keen to highlight the positives in Kendal's performance.

" Someone came up to me after the game and said you would have thought that we were the Conference side, which is good, and we did play really well for spells, but in some ways it was like last season as we had 80 per cent possession and they went and scored!

""But I think the pleasing difference is last season we lacked that killer touch in front of goal, but I think we've got that now in Alex Taylor," explained the manager, who sparked a comeback from 2-1 down to lead 3-2 with the goals coming goals from Gareth Arnison, Ashcroft and Carl Osman.

Town's manager also confirmed that one of his players could well be making the step up to league football come the start of the season.

"Jon (Forbes) has gone on trial at Hartlepool, he's there all week and he'll be playing a few games for them. I spoke to him on Monday and it sounds like their working him really hard.

“He's desperate to make the step up to league football, so I've done all I can for him, hopefully he'll go on and get a contract and get us a bit of money for the club.”