AFTER kicking their heels over the festive period due to the weather, the Hawcoat Park players will be itching to test themselves again.

And what a test to start 2018 with, as West Lancs Division One high-fliers Hurst Green head to town tomorrow.

Trevor Houston’s Hawcoat have aspirations of a top-six finish this season, and victory over the team currently occupying second spot would give the Park youngsters a massive confidence boost.

The Maroons lie 10th in the 16-team division, but they do have games in hand over most of the teams above them, and they lead the ‘mini division’ containing fellow Furness-based clubs Askam United, GSK Ulverston Rangers and Crooklands Casuals.

However, Askam are on the same number of points as Park, and should they beat mid-table opponents Stoneclough at Duddon Road, and Hawcoat fail to defeat Hurst Green, the Villagers will take over at the top of the Furness quartet.

All four local clubs enjoy home comforts this weekend, with GSK Ulverston Rangers entertaining CMB, while Crooklands have the hardest task ahead of them, as they square up to pacesetters Poulton.

Up in the West Lancs League Premier Division, Vickerstown can give their survival hopes a significant lift, if they overcome sixth-from-bottom Southport Hesketh at Park Vale.

Dave Round’s men are precariously placed in second-from-bottom place in the division, but the Walney side have plenty of games left to save themselves – and winning the majority of their remaining home matches could be key to their hopes.

In Division Two, Millom will hope to return from lowly Tempest United reserves with nothing less than three points as they bid to keep in touch with the top two teams, Ladybridge and Leyland.

Millom are having a strong season, lying in third place, but although they have games in hand on the top two, the Devonshire Road club need to keep on their coat-tails and not let the gap widen too much.

Dalton United are in good nick, having won 3-0 at Euxton Villa reserves last week – the evergreen Gareth Jones grabbing two goals – and they will be upbeat about their chances at home to Lostock St Gerards reserves.

In contrast, the bottom two of Furness Cavaliers and Furness Rovers are desperately in need of some wins, and both have home games against bottom-half opposition where victories will do them a power of good. Cavaliers face Padiham reserves and Rovers take on Thornton Cleveleys reserves.

The other Furness team, in the second division – mid-table Walney Island – go to Euxton.

Holker Old Boys’ problematic Macron Cup second round clash against AFC Liverpool has still yet to be played, after the Merseysiders’ ground was frozen and unplayable in midweek.

The clubs have now tried and failed no fewer than seven times to get the Northern Section tie played. The winners have a home tie against either Bacup Borough or Ashton Athletic in March.

Holker turn their attentions back to North West Counties Division One action tomorrow, when another Merseyside club – Cammell Laird 1907 – head to Rakesmoor Lane.

Guy Heffernan’s side will be confident of earning another three points on the back of a superb 3-1 win at Stockport Town last time out, when goals from Danny Keenan, John-Paul Stanway and Nath Reid did the damage.

Old Boys sit ninth and victory over seventh-placed Cammell Laird would put them right up there in the mix.