ADOPTED horse Turf Moor nearly made a sensational start to her racing career.

Running in the 4.20 at Thirsk, the 7-1 shot was narrowly beaten into second place in her first ever competitive outing.

"It was a remarkable performance for a horse on a first run," said Valley Paddocks Racing spokesman Lionel Snowden.

Turf Moor is hopeful of another run-out at either Hamilton, Ripon or Musselburgh later this month.

Hundreds of Burnley fans have enrolled as Valley Paddock Racing members and will get a chance to visit Jonjo O'Neill's stables at Skelton near Penrith in Cumbria next Saturday. For a free brochure on the horses ring 01254 822330 or write to Valley Paddocks Racing, PO Box 40, Clitheroe, Lancs BB7 9GA.

Accrington Clarets will stage their annual general meeting at Enfield Cricket Club on Tuesday (7.30 pm)

The guest speaker will be former player, manager and chief scout Brian Miller. Members old and new are welcome.

Remember Derek Adams? The Scots midfielder signed by Jimmy Mullen from Aberdeen in January 1995.

Adams has spearheaded Ross County's promotion drive in the Scottish Third Division with 21 league goals.

In fact, Adams could clinch a place in Division Two today with the former Highland League club if Ross County, based at Dingwall near Inverness, defeat Montrose and nearest challengers Forfar slip up against Queens Park. Adams made two substitute apperances for the Clarets and was top-scorer in Burnley's Central League side in 1995/96. He was released a year ago.

Huddersfield Clarets fanzine, "Kicker Conspiracy", named, I suspect, after the Fall record, turned in a super show to win through to the last eight of the Total Football magazine "Fanzine five-a-side Challenge" at Arsenal's Highbury stadium.

The lads clocked up wins over Walsall (2-0), Coventry (3-1), Bristol City (3-0), and lost narrowly to Stoke (3-2) and eventual winners Sunderland. (2-1). The Kicker boys - Julian Darcy-Clayton, David Pollard, Andrew Mashiter, Ian Fraser, Peter Heywood, Keith Rushton and Jim Park - bowed out 4-1 to a strong St Austell side in the quarter-finals.

Burnley Reserves completed their Pontins League programme with a 3-1 victory over Bradford City at Turf Moor on Tuesday. Goals from Millwall trialist Sean Stevens, Nigel Gleghorn and Colin Carr-Lawton.

Coach Harry Wilson said: "We have finished above halfway in the table and that is a reasonable performance considering we experimented a lot with youngsters for the first three quarters of the season because of injury."

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