Garstang boss Lee Baker praises team spirit

The Riversiders’ 11-game unbeaten run in league and cup will be given a stiff examination when they travel to West Lancashire League Premier Division leaders Blackpool Wren Rovers.

Rovers, who fought tooth and nail with Longridge Town for last season’s title before eventually finishing second, currently head the table this time around.

Eight wins and a draw in 10 games puts them top on 25 points, four clear of Euxton Villa with the Riversiders third on 20 points and with a game in hand.

Garstang boss Baker has rotated his squad this season with fringe players having had their chance to impress, most recently in last Saturday’s 5-1 LFA Shield victory at FC St Helens.

“I’ve been impressed with how the whole squad has taken on board what we have tried to do so far this season,” he said.

“It isn’t a situation where we just name the same 11 lads every week and have three or four lads feeling fed up on the bench.

“Last year I think you could have picked our starting XI at the beginning of the week and said that was our best 11.

“This season, however, it has been a more difficult task to choose a line-up even at this early stage of the season.

“I can’t promise any player a starting spot but, in football, you can have injuries at any given time and lads will be dipping in and out of the side through the season.

“It’s up to the lads who have a starting shirt to take their chance when it comes along and, to be fair, one or two of the players have done exactly that.

“I think that incentive works with players; I think they see that, if they get their chance and they perform well, they will play again the next week.”