City boss donates £100 to charity after correct fixture prediction

On the eve of the Northern Premier League announcing the fixtures for the forthcoming season, Fell tweeted who he thought City’s first couple of opponents might be.

And should he get any of them right, then he would donate £100 to a charitable cause.

His prediction that City would get Grantham Town at Giant Axe on the opening day of the season on August 17 was wide of the mark – they are actually entertaining Stafford Rangers.

However, he was spot on with his pick of newly-promoted Morpeth Town for the team’s first away game the following Tuesday.

Fell admits he does not mind at all giving some cash to a worthwhile cause, although the look of City’s opening fixtures – especially the away games – has given him a cause for concern.

Morpeth represents one of the longest away trips of the season for Lancaster and they will have to make the trek to the North East in midweek.

Likewise a few weeks later, City have a similar scenario when they head to South Shields.

Indeed, after Morpeth, the Dolly Blues face a run of tough-looking away fixtures.

“You’ve got to play everyone home and away throughout the course of the season,” Fell said. “But what I would say is if there was a way which you would not want them to come out, then this is it.

“Morpeth away for the first Tuesday? I don’t tknow if the league really understands the location of Lancaster.

“We were hoping for something this side of the country.

“We also have South Shields on a Tuesday at the so our first couple of midweek away games are long travels for us.

“If you look at our first six away games after the Morpeth game, they are all against teams who finished in the top nine last season.

“But if we come through those games in decent shape, it should puts us in a good position for the rest of the season.”

Fell revealed he has been in discussions with a couple of supporters and plans to donate money to local charities.

Meanwhile, the City boss has declared himself happy with the way pre-season has gone so far.

The Dolly Blues have been back in training since the end of last month.

Last week, they split the squad in two for friendlies against Turton and Slyne with Hest – the second of which was abandoned after young City goalkeeper Max Povey suffered a broken leg.

Saturday’s clash at Squires Gate ended in a 1-1 draw and on Tuesday night, City went 2-0 up at Charnock Richard, but a number of changes at half-time resulted in them shipping four goals.

“Max is an ex-Fylde, ex-Squires Gate and we took the opportunity to have a look at him.

“He broke his leg in an innocuous challenge with Zach Clark, who used to play for us.

“Even though he is no signed on with us, he did the injury while playing for us so we will help him with his rehab so that he gets back playing.”

Despite yet to win in the pres-season game so far, Fell is not worried at all.

We took 22 players over to both Squires Gate and Charnock Richard and made lots of changes.

“At Charnock on Tuesday we played very well in the first half, went 2-0 up.

“We then made eight changes at half-time, but taking nothing away from Charnock.

“I thought they were excellent and deserved to win the game. I think they will have a good season.”

Fell, who has been running the rule over a number of trialists, is unlikely to chop and change too much for their home game against Barrow on Tuesday.

Luke Thompson is likely to feature after missing the past friendlies through illness.