ROSSENDALE UTD...1 RADCLIFFE BOROUGH...9

RADCLIFFE Boro rounded off their pre-season friendly campaign against Unibond First Division outfit Rossendale with a resounding 9-1 win.

But manager Kevin Glendon was busy focusing his attention on the trip to West Yorkshire where Boro open the new Unibond Premier Division season with a game at the Ingfield Ground, home of Ossett Town.

"They are very much unknown quantity, having come up from the Unibond First Division," said Glendon.

"We've obviously played them in the past but they will probably have changed beyond all recognition, but Rossendale were in the same division last season and look what we did to them.

Reflecting on the win at Dark Lane in which striker Rory Patterson scored four goals, he said: "It showed exactly what we can achieve and it proved we have a killer touch, we went for the jugular and didn't stop.

"To beat a team just one division below us so convincingly - and we created a lot more chances than we took - has given the lads a lot of confidence.

"We were really strong and professional and I'm hoping we can carry that form into Saturday's league opener."

So, another season in the Unibond awaits, but it could so easily have been a step up to the Conference North, where Glendon believes his side should really be.

"This week I watched Ashton against Altrincham and Stalybridge against Lancaster and it left me feeling really disappointed that we're not competing at that level.

"I saw no difference between those sides and us, we're every bit as good as them if not better. But we have to go out and prove it by getting promoted.

"There's one automatic promotion slot for the champions, and then a chance for the next four, and if we can't finish in the top five I'll be very disappointed."

So, it's all systems go, well nearly, as Glendon ponders on how he is going to cope without one his most important players.

"The only problem we've got is goalkeeper Danny Hurst," he said.

"Barry George isn't back from holiday until the first week in September, so we're going to have a look at Danny tonight in training to see if he can play Saturday, if he can't we'll start Mark Molyneux, who agreed to help us out, and try to get Danny sorted out.

"It's really frustrating because Danny has had a good pre-season, he's a very important player for us and it's sod's law he's now struggling with a groin injury. "At this level it's a massive problem when you lose your first choice keeper.

"Otherwise the lads are all fit and raring to go, I'm still undecided about one midfield position, but otherwise I know what my line-up will be.

"The good thing about this season is that no one knows who's going to start, so they'll all be fighting for their places every week."

Yet after preparing his team so well he admitted to not looking forward to the opening fixtures in the league.

"Our pre-season has been the most enjoyable I've had at the club, in terms of the quality of the opposition and perfomances.

"We've prepared well and we're ready for it and we'll just have to see how things go.

"But I hate the opening week of the season, we've always been notoriously slow starters and usually I'm happy if we emerge from the first couple of games unbeaten, so it would be good to get a couple of wins straight away."

With George unavailable and Hurst out with a persistent groin injury, former Chorley manager Molyneux took over between the sticks at Dark Lane.

Boro were soon in front, Simon Carden grabbing a brace, the first from an Andy Heald corner.

Rory Patterson then had several chances to extend the lead but was unable to turn them into goals.

He began the second half again being given chances but it was substitute Jamie Baguley's corner that glanced off fellow sub Karl Marginson before spinning into the net, that gave Boro their third.

Two further subs, Lee Evans and Gary Sampson, helped to fashion a fourth, with the former putting the latter through, only to be brought down on the edge of the box. Marginson scored the resulting spot kick.

Patterson finally got off the mark when he took the ball from the half-way line before slipping it past the keeper.

He doubled his tally when he was put through by Wilson one-on-one with the keeper, sending him the wrong way. His hat-trick goal was then blasted into the top corner.

Baguley then got on the scoresheet, beating three defenders before unleashing a super shot from 25 yards. Patterson rounded things off with his fourth.

BORO: Molyneux, Duffy, Heald, Kelly, Armstrong, Hill, Spencer, Carden, Denney, Patterson, Wilson. Subs: Baguley, Marginson, Price, Sampson, Evans.