By Matt Lawton
December 30 2008
Should the weather allow it, Leigh Genesis will look to put behind them the disappointment of losing to basement side Witton Albion on Boxing Day and make a promising start to 2009 by gaining a positive result from the long trip to Kendal on New Years Day.
The selection options of Genesis manager Lee Merricks have been boosted by the league debuts of Ross Thaker and Steve Settle in the Boxing Day defeat to Witton Albion, while Richard Chetcuti continued his recovery from injury with a second half substitute appearance.
Leigh go in to the game in seventeenth position in the UniBond Premier League table, but with as many as eight games in hand on some of their league rivals, while a last minute winner in a 3-2 win at Cammell Laird in their last outing has sent Kendal in to seventh position, just two points from a play-off place.
Kendal players of particular interest are a pair of ex-Leigh players in defender George Melling and midfielder Lee Mulvaney, while midfielder Ian Kilford and player-manager are both former Wigan Athletic players.
One particular player to look out for is striker Craig Hobson, who currently has fifteen goals to his name so far this season and, as an ex-Atherton Collieries man and former Bedford High School pupil, will certainly be looking forward to taking on his home town team.
The two sides haven't met in over five years of action since facing each other in the final of the then-Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy, with Leigh celebrating their last piece of silverware with goals from Ian Monk and Ged Courtney securing a comfortable 2-0 victory at Accrington Stanley's Crown Ground.
With a heavy overnight frost expected and the country currently experiencing a particularly cold winter, supporters are advised to check with both clubs before travelling to this fixture, which kicks off at Kendal's Lakeland Radio Stadium at 3pm on New Years Day.
Quote:Never stay at home, just find another game within a 50 mile radius!rsefitpro2007
Think you may as well stay at home for New Years day, I don't think their will be any footy on New Years Day, the pitch is frozen solid

Quote:Leyther_Matt
Well I've gone against my own 'teachings' today and just stayed in and watched Soccer Saturday with the young 'un!
Quote:Particularly as Hartlepool won the early kick off!jhealeyQuote:Leyther_Matt
Well I've gone against my own 'teachings' today and just stayed in and watched Soccer Saturday with the young 'un!
But Jeff Stelling is an utter genius.
