ATHERTON LR face a home NWCL Division Two clash with fifth in the table Nelson tomorrow.

The fixture will be a first league game for the club with new first team boss Alan Lord in charge.

His LR 'debut' came on Tuesday night and his new charges did much to impress as the 2-1 defeat at UniBond Premier Division Burscough was almost an injustice to the young Rovers side.

LR gave the opposition from two divisions higher was given a real scare in the LFA Marsden Challenge Trophy round one. The tie was switched to Burscough after postponements at Crilly Park and the home side had the edge in the first half, opening the scoring on 20 minutes through Steve Leahey after earlier having an effort disallowed.

Wayward finishing saw the UniBond side fail to add to that score before the break and they were nearly made to pay in the second 45. Rovers looked a totally different proposition in the second period as they took the game by the scruff of the neck.

On 65 minutes former Burscough player Paul Meredith levelled with a wonder goal, beating three defenders with his run from deep before burying a left foot shot into the bottom corner. The following 15 minutes saw the home defence under siege as time and again LR went close.

The deciding goal on 87 minutes summed up LR's luck on the night as striker Colin Entwistle broke through with only the goalkeeper to beat. He missed his kick and the ball, having been punted downfield, was picked up by Paul Talbot and fired into the LR net. A heartbreaking way to go down for Lord and his new side but there was much to be proud of.

Next Tuesday LR entertain Daisy Hill in the rearranged Floodlit Trophy tie.