CLITHEROE boss Steve Parry is searching for solace from tonight's Floodlit Trophy Final against Kidsgrove Athletic after a disappointing campaign on the league front.

The ex-Haslingden chief, who took over from Dennis Underwood just three months into the season, has led the Blues to their first cup final appearance since the FA Vase at Wembley in 1996.

But Parry is still smarting after an indifferent campaign in the league and hopes his side will vent their frustrations on Athletic at Maine Road (kick off 7.30pm).

"I've been feeling a little bit frustrated because we haven't made as much progress as I would have liked this season," said Parry.

"We've had a couple of good cup runs but our league form hasn't been good enough.

"We should be in the top four or five in this league but we haven't found any consistency.

"But if we win tonight that will go someway to making up for the disappointment and it should give the supporters hope going into next season.

"It's certainly a great chance for the players to prove they can win things.

"We've got nothing to lose and nothing to fear."

Few sides in the North Western Trains League are more consistent than Kidsgrove.

After winning the First Division tilte last season, the Staffordshire outfit have mounted a strong challenge again this year and still have a chance of pipping Newcastle Town for runners up spot.

And though Parry holds them in high regard, he strongly believes his side are more than capable of turning them over.

"I rate them very highly. They're probably one of the top four teams in our league and I've been impressed whenever I've seen them play, although they've been a bit up and down recently.

"But form goes out the window in a cup final - it's all about who does it on the night.

"If we let them play they'll beat us.

"But we've got to approach the game with the right attitude and if we do that we won't go far wrong."

The Blues didn't make the best of preparations after a late winner consigned them to a 1-0 defeat at Prescot Cables on Saturday.

But influential defender Gary Rishton missed that match through injury and he's been added to tonight's squad after successfully coming through a reserve team outing.

Parry will choose from: Hills, Norman, Dunn, Rishton, Bowers, Grimshaw, Hill, Stewart, Sharples, Greenwood, Ollerton, Gardner, Welch, Haworth and Riley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.