GREAT Harwood Town have been handed a relegation lifeline after winning the backing of the UniBond League's chairmen.

The league's management committee served a motion at a meeting of club chairmen which would have seen Harwood booted out of the UniBond First Division because of their inability to carry out major ground improvements.

But member clubs rejected the moves at the meeting on Sunday and Harwood now face an anxious wait until May 31 to find out whether or not they are relegated to the North Western Trains League First Division.

North East Counties League runners-up Ossett Town should be taking their place in the UniBond First Division next season after the Reds finished in the bottom two.

But the Wakefield-based outfit have to still to get their own Ingfield ground up to scratch in time for the UniBond League's May 31 deadline.

And, if they fail, then Harwood will stay up. "It's great news," said Harwood chairman Bill Holden.

"It makes all our efforts both on and off the pitch worthwhile.

"I was very grateful to all the chairmen for their support because I didn't really expect to get it.

"But now at least we've got a fighting chance."

The Reds now face an anxious wait until the UniBond League's AGM in Blackpool next month before knowing their fate. UniBond officials will visit the Yorkshiremen's ground in the next two weeks, however, and league secretary Duncan Bayley is confident they will make it.

"One sometimes has to work on gut feeling though and I think they are likely to do it, " said Bayley.

If Ossett do make it, Harwood will be relegated to the First Division of the North Western Trains League and not the Second Division as originally feared.

Then NWTL officials will visit the Showground in the first few months of next season when they will then be advised about what ground improvements, if any, are needed to retain their First Division status after that.

"We are hoping to get a new lease in the very near future and we will then carry out the necessary work, whatever league we end up in," added Holden.

Meanwhile, UniBond Premier Division side Chorley are still in limbo over their future next season. The Magpies have heard no news on whether or not Hucknall Town's Watnall Road ground will be up to scratch in time for the May 31 deadline following the meeting of chairmen.

But league secretary Bayley today repeated his view that the Nottinghamshire club will struggle. "I will be very surprised if they make it because they've got a lot more work to do than Ossett," said Bayley.

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