Elbra's warning to Seaton ahead of quarter final clash
Last updated 10:20, Saturday, 20 September 2008
Cumbria Cup holders Ellenborough warned there was more in their locker ahead of today’s quarter-final tie against Seaton.
Last season’s Division One champs suffered a shock early-season defeat against derby rivals Glasson. But chairman Wilson Smith revealed they had a handful of leading players still to feature this term.
“Five regular first-teamers haven’t played yet,” he said. “There’s plenty of improvement to come. I’m optimistic.
“For the Glasson game, some of our players hadn’t realised the season started early this year and had booked holidays.
“We had nine players missing, and you just can’t do that. We still had our chances but didn’t take them and paid the price.”
Jason Moore has been unavailable as he is working outside the area, while ex-Workington Town centre David Whitworth broke down in training, Great Britain amateur international Kyle Lofthouse was hurt at work, and Paul West is still recovering after picking up a knock at the end of last season.
Kells, beaten finalists last term, host promoted Cockermouth in a last-eight clash.
Peter Smith’s team have made an encouraging start to the campaign with wins over Hensingham, Wath Brow and Glasson, and will be major contenders for silverware once again.
“Cockermouth have lost Craig Fisher (Maryport) and John Patrick (Haven), obviously two of their mainstays last season,” said Smith, who is looking to blood a handful of his top teenagers this term.
Kells’ Under-18s and 16s are training with the open age squad this year, and Smith believes there’s bags of potential in the junior ranks, though he does not yet want to name any potential future stars.
“We have a good crop coming through, the conveyor belt moves on,” he added. “If we can feed them in to the first-team towards the middle and end of the season, they’ll get a good grounding.
“I want more competition for places, and these young lads will be pushing the older ones.”
TODAY’S FIXTURES
Cumberland League
Division One
Glasson v Wath Brow
Division Two
Lowca A v Frizington
Seaton A v Lowca
Salterbeck A v Kells A
Flimby v Salterbeck
Great Clifton v Maryport A
BARLA Cumbria
Cup quarter-finals
Ellenborough v Seaton
Kells v Cockermouth
Broughton RR v Distington
Hensingham v Ulverston
National Conference
Division One
Wath Brow v
Widnes St Marie’s
Division Two
Egremont v Crosfields
