ADVERSE weather has been the biggest opponent for the county’s football teams in recent weeks.

And after a frustrating postponement last weekend, Vickerstown reserves are hoping to get back onto the pitch tomorrow.

The Furness Premier League leaders are scheduled to host ninth-placed Walney Island reserves in a game which their manager Mark Hammond expects will be keenly contested. But he will be taking nothing for granted.

“Just because we’re top of the league, that doesn’t give us the right to think we’re going to turn up and win,” he said.

“Every game in the Furness Premier League is keenly contested. They are all proud clubs, and they want to do as best as they can in every game.

“Once that whistle goes on a Saturday, all talk of league tables and statistics goes out of the window because its all about the 90 minutes ahead.

“All credit to the teams in this league, because it’s always a tough game no matter who it’s against.”

Vickerstown have enjoyed a fruitful season so far. They are three points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand over their closest challengers, Hawcoat Park reserves.

Yet despite being the division’s joint-top goalscorers, and possessing the second-best defensive record, Hammond insists nothing on paper counts until the end of the season.

“You can be top of the league,” he said, “but if you don’t carry on doing the business you soon won’t be.

“I don’t pay any attention to it. We simply take each game as it comes.”

For Hammond, preparation for each game is key. His side train twice a week, and have the use of both indoor and outdoor facilities.

He added: “We do as much training as we can. We put the sessions on twice a week because some of the lads can only make one or the other due to work commitments. If we have a postponement, we’ll have an extra training session on a Saturday.”

Now in his third season as reserve team manager, Hammond previously coached youth teams at Vickerstown, and guided several of his current players through the ranks.

“We have a good set of lads,” he said. “Fortunately this season we’ve been been quite lucky in terms of injuries and we should have a full squad to pick from against Walney Island.

“I think everyone is hoping for better weather, because we’d all rather get out there and play a game of football.”

The teams will kick off at 2pm on Saturday at Park Vale, weather permitting of course.