Football - Centre-back joins Town ahead of Nantwich visit (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Centre-back joins Town ahead of Nantwich visit

10:00am Saturday 5th March 2011 in Sport

KENDAL Town boss Lee Ashcroft has added Hyde United centre-back Chris Rimmer to his squad, signing the Bluesquare North defender ahead of Saturday's home match with Nantwich Town (3pm kick-off).

Town secretary Craig Campbell confirmed that Rimmer, who has been turning out mainly on the sub's bench this season, had join the Parkside club during the week, but was not expected to feature in Saturday's starting line-up.

Meanwhile, Ashcroft's the club’s chances of reaching the Premier Division play-offs will be settled this week at the start of a “Mad March” programme.

The hectic schedule begins with a double header at home to Nantwich on Saturday, before an away trip to Ashton United on Monday and the system repeats itself for the next four weeks.

A chance to push up the league was denied at Worksop Town on Saturday because of a waterlogged pitch.

Ashcroft said: “It is a must that we get six points from the next two games or we are not going to be in the play-offs.”

To boost Town’s play-off hopes, Ashcroft has brought in former Blackburn Rovers youth-team midfielder Joe Roberts, signed from Clitheroe, as well as central defender Shaun Gray on a permanent deal from Fleetwood Town.

He was intererested in former Northern Ireland international striker Lee McEvilly from Burscough, but was unable to bring him in, with McEvilly opting to join Droylsden in the Blue Square Conference North.

There was good news about wide midfielder Danny Wisdom, however, who will now not need an operation on his back and should return in a couple of weeks.

Ashcroft said: “We have had 10 losses now and that is two or three too many.

“If the lads want to stay and fight with us they have to produce it on the pitch.”

Town sit 10th and 10 points off the play-off places, but have games in hand on the sides around them.

And with 15 games to go, Ashcroft wants his side to haul in as many of the 45 points available as possible.

He added: “We have not been good enough in the last two years to go up but I think we have been unlucky in the play-offs.

“I don’t think we have been good enough at times this season and we are nowhere near where I expected.

“It is a bit of a transition period here where I am trying to get better players in and I have to make sure we are ready to go up.”

* MONTH AHEAD: Sat, Mar 5 - Nantwich Town (H); Mon, Mar 7 - Ashton United (A); Sat, Mar 12 - Matlock Town (H); Tues, Mar 15 - Marine (A); Sat, Mar 19 - Retford United (A); Tues, Mar 22 - Marine (H); Sat, Mar 26 - FC Halifax Town (H).