PADIHAM'S good start to the season has thrown up a 'nice' problem that now needs a quick solution - the club's ground isn't good enough for the NWCL first division.

If Padiham were to win the second division - they currently lead by one point from Maine Road - they wouldn't be promoted as it stands as their Arbories ground doesn't have floodlights.

But the committee are working flat-out to try to rectify the situation and make sure the ground is up to scratch by the time the ground-graders visit later this season.

Manager Graham Howarth, whose side travel to struggling Cheadle Town tomorrow, said: "We had a committee meeting this week and it was mentioned that we needed to make sure the ground was up to standard.

"The reserve team manager pointed out that we had the small matter of winning the league first!"

The Storks are in only their third NWCL season after promotion from the West Lancs League in 2000.

They were the surprise package of the league in the first year, which Graham Howarth put down to the 'surprise element', and they finished eighth.

Last year was not so successful; they finished 13th.

Now, one quarter of the way through the season, they top the league having won eight of their nine league games.

All managers say the league starts to take shape at around the 10-game mark, and by that standard, the Storks must be favourites. And that is without two of their top strikers, Dean Stowe and Lee Chambers!

"We didn't play that well last week (during the 2-1 win against Bacup in the Worthington Trophy) to be honest," said Howarth, who has been awarded the second division manager of the month award for September.

"We had a bit of an off day and still won.

"Some say it's the sign of a good side when you win games you don't play well in but last week it was more a sign that we took our chances.

"We didn't play as well as we had been doing but you can't expect to play like that all the time.

"And you can only play as well as the opposition allows so you have to give Bacup credit for that."

Striker Stowe could return to the squad after coming through a full reserve match last week. He has been out since the second game of the season and is unlikely to start tomorrow.

"You don't tinker with a winning side but Dean is an asset to have on the bench. He is a pacy lad and if things aren't going well you have that pace that can stretch teams.

"We played Cheadle at home and won 2-1. It was quite comfortable but we gave a sloppy goal away. We didn't have any scares but it could have been more comfortable."

Padiham have got Glossop at home in the next round of the Worthington Trophy. "It will be a good yardstick because they are struggling at the bottom of Division One."