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Ready for an Ilkeston adventure

Simon Smedley
18/ 8/2004

WOODLEY Sports manager Tony Hancock is counting down the days ahead of Saturday's mouthwatering UniBond League opener at Ilkeston Town.

The Steelmen will have a near full-strength squad available for the trip to Derbyshire, the only senior absentees being Clive Brown, Carlos Meakin (both on holiday) and Callum Dempsey (ankle injury).

Hancock said: "Everyone's really looking forward to Saturday now.

"It is like going into the unknown a bit, but it's like my old professional days of longer trips on nice coaches, playing at new grounds and pitting your wits against quality players on lovely pitches.

"Although I know very little about Ilkeston, they have just signed former Nottingham Forest stars Steve Chettle and Nigel Jemson so it's sure to be tough.

"But we're all up for it and we'll have a number of Woodley supporters with us to cheer us on."

New Woodley signings Richard Acton (ex-Altrincham goalkeeper) and Paul 'Coco' Robertson (ex-County full-back) are in line for debuts at the New Manor Ground.

On Tuesday, August 24, Woodley host Kidsgrove Athletic in the league (7.45pm kick off, £6/£4).

• CHEADLE Town got their North West Counties League campaign off to a bad start on Saturday with a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Chadderton.

The Park Road outfit came back from three down thanks to a brace from Scott Flanaghan, but manager Paul Cunningham later moaned: "We played some really good football at times, but we left ourselves with a mountain to climb."

Cheadle travel to Nelson this Saturday.

• STOCKPORT Georgians' home league opener against Dukinfield Town last Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.