BACUP face a tough trip to third placed Alsager tomorrow hoping to make an impression on the teams above them.
Having played fewer games than most in NWCL Division Two, Brent Peters' side can shoot up the league if they win their matches in hand.
One of those was on Tuesday night - but they fell 2-0 at West View to Norton.
It spoilt Peters' birthday, but he did take some positives from the game.
Former Accrington Stanley and Rossendale midfielder Mark Rawstron came into the side, and the play-maker added another dimension to Boro's play.
"Apart from one or two lapses where we tried to get the ball upfield too quickly, we played good football.
"I told the lads that there was no point having someone like Mark in the side if we were going to by-pass him, when he can create the chances for the forwards.
"We did go on to create plenty of chances, and, although we failed to convert them, on another day, things could have been so different."
Peters was hoping that Alex Binnie and Damien Gledhill would be back for tomorrow's clash after both were unavailable in midweek.
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