GREAT HARWOOD manager John Hughes is looking for an improved performance tonight when his side host Ashton Town in the Worthington Trophy.

Hughes welcomes back centre half Ryan Parr, 'the backbone of the team', after he missed Saturday's 2-1 defeat at home to Maine Road through work commitments.

Hughes would have preferred to play tonight's cup match on Saturday when the rest of the first round ties were being played, but Ashton's involvement in the Liverpool Challenge Cup put paid to that.

So they had to play a North West Counties second division match instead, and the loss of Parr didn't help their cause as they were beaten 2-1 after leading 1-0.

Hughes said: "They say one man doesn't make a team but Ryan Parr is the backbone of the side and we missed him. I would rather have lost him for the cup tie and played the league game tonight but there wasn't anything we could do."

Neil Kennedy came back into the Harwood side after injury and, despite struggling with match fitness, contributed to the opening goal.

He played a ball through to Chris Heslop who in turned played in John Eastham.

Eastham found himself one on one and confidently chipped the keeper for a quality goal.

"He showed a lot of class but never got a chance after that," said Hughes. "The service to him lacked quality and in the second half Maine Road wanted it more than we did.

"Maybe I can take some responsibility for the defeat because we were ahead and maybe we should have shut up shop but we were at home and it was up to us to take the game to them.

"In the end they took the game to us."

Maine Road were back on level terms in the 74th minute when a cross came in from the left to Mithcell who slotted home from the edge of the area.

The winner went in just seven minutes later and it was a touch fortunate as Wadsworth jinked past a couple of defenders and hit a shot which rebounded onto the cross bar and into the net.

It was a setback for promotion-chasing Great Harwood but Hughes was positive.

"There is a long way to go yet and we still have to prove ourselves worthy of going up.

"But we haven't played the top team Padiham yet so there is time to catch up."

GREAT HARWOOD...1 MAINE ROAD...2