Football - Home start for Town in Unibond (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Home start for Town in Unibond

9:52am Saturday 18th July 2009 in Sport By Arran Jolly

KENDAL Town were this week digesting the newly released fixture list for the Unibond Premier Division this season with six new clubs in the line-up adding interest to the list.

Town will kick off their league campaign at home against Worksop Town on Saturday, August 15.

The Parkside club have little time to settle into the season before they take on likely promotion rivals.

Town welcome Bradford Park Avenue for a Tuesday night fixture on August 25, while the visit of FC United on Saturday, September 5 is likely to see a repeat of last season’s large crowd.

With six new clubs in the line-up some long journeys lie ahead with trips to Durham City, Kings Lynn, and Nottingham based pair Retford United and Hucknall Town.

Completing the list of new boys is one familiar name in Burscough, but the Division One South third-place finishers Stockbridge Park Steels are likely to prove something of an unknown entity early on.

Missing from last season is relegated trio Prescot Cables, Leigh Genesis and Witton Albion, with Witton dropping down into the First Division South while Cables and Leigh face life in the First Division North.

Merseyside club Cammell Laird have also been relegated after a brief stay in the Premier Division as their ground failed to meet the required standards of the division, while last season’s early pace setters Hednesford United have swapped the Unibond for the Southern League Premier Division.

Reacting to the fixture list Town boss Lee Ashcroft said: “ I’m delighted we’re kicking off the season at home as we’re normally away. It’s a difficult start for us with some tough games, but we’ve got to play every team in the division at some point and if we can replicate last season’s form we’ll do well.”

Ashcroft added: “ We have got some long away trips ahead this season but our away record last season was fantastic. We always prepared well and the lads had a lot of support so I’m not overly concerned.”

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Family Fun day at Parkside the Town manager praised the idea saying: “ It’s a great idea, hopefully kids coming with their mum and their dad for the fun day will like what they see and keep coming back once the season starts.”

Kick off on Sunday against Fleetwood is at 3pm, but the family fun day starts at noon.