Why should I watch..?

To see what impact an enforced break has had on Winsford United, who haven’t played at all since a narrow 3-2 defeat at West Didsbury & Chorlton on January 13.

Blues have slipped to 14th in the North West Counties League top-flight as a result.

However a distance to tenants 1874 Northwich, in ninth place, is only a single point.

Lee Duckworth’s side have found Bootle to be tricky opponents in recent seasons, and the Bucks are unbeaten on their past eight trips to St Luke’s Barton Stadium for a Premier Division fixture.

They have left with maximum points on seven of those occasions too.

What they’ve said

“We could have had an easier game to end our wait to play again!

“Bootle are flying right now, scoring lots of goals in the process.

“The lads just want to get on with playing matches again – I don’t think anybody has had as many postponements as we have recently.”

Lee Duckworth, Winsford United player-manager

Numbers game

Winsford haven’t prevailed in any of their past half-dozen meetings with Bootle in the North West Counties League, losing five

Man to keep an eye on

Will Foster

Winsford’s back-line may well come under pressure from an attack that has plundered 21 goals in the past four games – all of them wins.

The central defender has been a key figure for Lee Duckworth’s side since transferring from Altrincham, and he’ll need to be at his best when the in-form Bucks visit this weekend.

Winsford team news

Blues have bolstered their squad this week by recruiting Daniel McLaughlin and Jamie McLellan on dual-registration terms from Mossley.

Captain Sean Sherwood and wide man Scott Taylor are both ruled out by an injury, while front man Jordan Johnson (knee) continues to convalesce.

Player-manager Lee Duckworth hopes to have everybody else available to pick from.

Form (past six in league)

Winsford L L D L W W

Bootle W W W W L W

Most recent meetings

Winsford 0-3 Bootle (NWCFL Premier Division, April 3 2017)

Bootle 5-1 Winsford (NWCFL Premier Division, August 27 2016)

Winsford 0-1 Bootle (NWCFL Premier Division, October 19 2015)

Essential information

When Saturday, February 10

Kick-off 3pm

Address St Luke’s Barton Stadium, Kingsway, Winsford CW7 3AE

Admission Adults £6, Concessions (OAP/under 21s) £4, Under 16s £1

Parking Available for free at the ground