PROUD Clitheroe manager Lee Sculpher believes the Blues' defeat against Morecambe will be the perfect boost.

For, despite his team being knocked out of the Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy at the second hurdle, Sculpher says his players can take heart from the way they battled, as the forthcoming fixtures will be crucial to the promotion campaign.

"We played last Saturday for the first time in three weeks whereas Morecambe played right through Christmas," said Sculpher, who takes his side to 16th placed Trafford tomorrow.

"And with being full-time they're bound to be fitter and stronger and they have got a lot of quality players because they are in the Conference.

"But I thought we did very well throughout the game.

"We were leading 1-0 at half-time, had restricted them to very few chances and should possibly have been leading by two or three goals.

"Obviously they were going to come at us more in the second half but even though we gave away one or two sloppy goals at least we were always in the game.

"Once we went behind it would have been easy to fold and concede four or five. But all credit to the lads for battling on.

"Just the fact that we competed with a side three leagues higher than us, throughout the 90 minutes, is a big boost for everyone."

Sculpher has also been cheered by the news that injury victims Neil Spencer, Andy Cowking and Gary Jackson should all be able to return to action by the end of the month, with Spencer thought to be just two weeks away from fitness.