CLITHEROE hope to make up ground on NWCL Division One leaders Prescot Cables tomorrow when they face Newcastle Town at home.

But they will be without two of their key players, including the goalkeeper, who are still in Sofia after watching Blackburn Rovers last night!

Adam Gardner and keeper Kris Richens won't get back from Bulgaria until tomorrow night - much to the annoyance of the gaffer Lee Sculpher.

His side are now nine points adrift of Prescot at the top - but have two games in hand.

The leaders showed they were fallible when they were beaten by fellow title hopefuls Salford City in midweek and at this stage of the season Sculpher is confident they can be caught.

"It's never good to be nine points behind the leaders but at this stage of the season you feel you can make the ground up," he said.

"We have two games in hand which could take us to within three points of them again."

Clitheroe lost 4-2 to Prescot last weekend and Sculpher said they have started letting sloppy goals in again.

"We eradicated them when we beat Salford 5-0 but let them back in last weekend," he said.

"If we stop making those mistakes it makes life a lot easier and we need to do it more consistently.

"Our home form has been quite good this season but teams tend to come here now and defend which makes it difficult for us but it is up to us to break them down."

Ex-Harwood keeper Lee Kennedy deputises in goal.