GUY Heffernan is hoping the seventh time will be a charm for Holker Old Boys after their Macron Cup tie with AFC Liverpool fell foul of the weather again.

Holker had been due to welcome the North West Counties League Premier Division outfit to Rakesmoor Lane on Wednesday evening, only for the recent wet weather to see it called off following an afternoon pitch inspection.

It is the sixth occasion the tie has been postponed and, under competition rules, it now switches to Liverpool’s home ground of Rossett Park on a midweek date to be confirmed.

“It’s back and forward from our ground, to their ground, to our ground – and now it’s back to theirs,” said Holker manager Heffernan, who is looking forward to taking on a higher-level opponent they narrowly lost 2-1 to in a pre- season friendly.

“It is a hard task to try to get the team up and running for home games, then with it getting switched to Liverpool and work-wise, but we do have that game very high on our agenda.

“We’re aiming for the higher league and it will be a good test for the lads against a higher opponent, a good opponent and a very well-thought-of opponent.”

That postponement means Holker have not played since the 1-1 draw at home to Prestwich Heys on December 16, which Heffernan admits has made it tough for the players to keep focus at training.

All being well, Old Boys are due to head to Stockport Town – the team just above them in the table – in Division One tomorrow and the boss is clear on the importance of this encounter to his side.

“Everyone wants to play games and I’d rather play than train, so it is hard to get them focused,” said Heffernan. “But we trained on Wednesday night and everyone had a smile on their face and was looking forward to playing again.

“For me, Saturday is the biggest game of the season for us. We’ve had three or four weeks off, we’ve had two or three hard training sessions, but this is a massive game to see where we are, where we’re going to go and give us a good test against Stockport.

“They had a bad result last week against Carlisle, so they’ll want to bounce back and if we beat them, I think we’ll go on to do good stuff.

“This month is a massive month for us and we’ve got some really tight games against good opposition who are around us.”

There is plenty of work being done off the field at Rakesmoor as well and Holker are in with a chance of winning £50,000-worth of building supplies to help with the development of the facilities at their home. They are one of 47 clubs bidding for the prize in an online poll being run by FA Trophy and Vase sponsors Buildbase, and fans can show their support by voting here .

“This is the sort of project I’m looking forward to, and it’s one (chairman) Maurice (Watkin) and Dave Smith are looking forward to,” said Heffernan.

“There are a lot of foundations and things in the background we are working on on a daily basis. We might have nine-to-five jobs, but there are other jobs we do with football regarding Rakesmoor and the team, and there are things going forward in the next 12 to 18 months we can put in place.

“I know people go on TV like the X-Factor saying ‘please vote for me’, but it’s the same for us and we need votes for this to happen. It’s going to a great cause; a young team, young lads and a young club, and it’s as ambitious a club as I’ve seen and want to be involved with.”

The wet weather has already affected tomorrow’s West Lancashire League fixture list, with Millom’s home game against Leyland United in Division Two postponed.

Elsewhere, Furness Cavaliers welcome fellow strugglers Tempest United reserves, while Furness Rovers, Dalton United and Walney Island are away to Charnock Richard reserves, Euxton Villa reserves and Thornton Cleveleys reserves respectively.

Vickerstown are on the road to the team just above them, Hesketh Bank, in the Premier Division. Meanwhile, the day’s Division One action sees Askam United at Kendal County, Hawcoat Park away to Lytham Town and GSK Ulverston Rangers travel to bottom side Mill Hill St Peters.