Manager Steve Settle’s programme notes, taken from today’s programme for the AFC Darwen game – available on the gate for £2.

Good evening everyone and welcome to Brookburn Road for tonight’s rearranged league fixture against our friends from Darwen. We hope that everyone connected to Darwen has an enjoyable evening barring the result of course! 

Tonight’s game is an opportunity to avenge the defeat we suffered against Darwen earlier in the season. Those of you in attendance that day will remember Chappy scoring 4 goals against us in an impressive display that prompted us to sign him.

As the situation turned out Chappy was ineligible and consequently we revisit the fixture tonight! Whilst Chappy’s work commitments have prevented him from playing much of a role for us we are hopeful that he will be available again soon.

Last Saturdays game against Winsford was a really important fixture for us. We had trained well in the preceding week however things haven’t been going our way recently and we desperately needed 3 points for morale as much as anything else. As it transpired it couldn’t have worked out better from a psychological perspective. Going in at half time 1-0 down despite James not having to make a save was typical of our recent luck. We explained in the changing rooms that the boys were on top and to remain patient as chances would come! Particularly given the attacking talent we have! Ben Steer coming off the bench changed the game for us. We were concerned with his fitness following his injury at Liverpool, but he showed no signs of it once on the pitch, firstly be providing the assist for Joe Shaw before scoring a great individual goal to put us in front! Alas a defensive mistake cost us again and Winsford capitalised to even things up. Psychologically this could have been huge blow but all credit to the lads they dug in and found a winner via Ash Woods in the last minute!

The sense of relief was palpable in the changing room afterwards and we have to take this momentum forward into tonight’s game.

Darwen have struggled lately but we know all too well that they can cause problems so it’s important that we start fast and take the game to them! 

A final note of thanks has to go to our fans. To get 420 through the gate after our run of form is exceptional! Indeed, it was the second highest in the country for teams at our level! I’m delighted we were able to get the win for you all! 

Thanks for the support and as always, enjoy the game.
Setts