WORSBROUGH Bridge are due to host Athersley Rec in a Barnsley derby tonight which they hope will be a ‘cracker.’
The NCEL Division One game is due to take place at 7.45pm at Worsbrough’s Park Road ground.
Bridge are currently 16th, with 27 points from 22 games, 18 clear of the relegation zone and 14 off the play-off places.
Athersley are 19th with 16 points from 20 games, leaving them seven clear of the bottom three who have three wins between them at the halfway point of the season.
Bridge won 2-0 at Rec in August when both clubs were under different managers.
Bridge boss Lee Morris said: “It should be a cracker.
“Two local teams in a derby on a Friday night. What more could you want?
“Hopefully it will be a really good crowd.
“I went to watch the derby between Athersley and Wombwell Town and it was a good atmosphere which is what we want in this game.
“We’ll do everything we can do to get the game on.
“We’ve put extra covers on the area of the pitch which is notorious for flooding.
“Fingers crossed we can play.
“Both clubs are in a very similar situation.
“There was a manager change around the same time.
“Rec have picked up under Clarky (Paul Clarkson) and we won’t underestimate them.
“But we want to showcase what we’ve got and get the win.”
Rec boss Clarkson said: “We always look forward to local derbies and it would be a really nice one to win.
“We expect a tough game as always.
“I would think there would be a good crowd and it will attract a few fans locally.
“There are players on both teams who have played for both clubs and they will all know each other.
“Both clubs have got new management teams.
“Lee is a great bloke.
“He knows football and he will know their situation.
“It will be tough to come up against him but we’ll be going for the win.”
Both clubs are hoping to climb the division in the second half of the season.
Worsbrough’s Morris said: “We’re not in the position we want to be in.
“We want the top ten.
“We’ve been on decent form of late. We lost our last match but we need to bounce back from that.
“Coming into Christmas – the games come thick and fast.
“We need to start a good run and winning a derby would be the perfect way to get that going.”
Athersley’s Clarkson added: “We’re looking to move into mid-table.
“We’re worrying about the clubs above not below.
“We know we are a better side than our position suggests.
“Winning a derby would be a good kick-start for us going up the table.”
Rec were due to play at third-bottom Armthorpe on Tuesday but the match was called off.
Worsbrough’s game at Brigg Town was called off on Saturday.
Wombwell Town and Penistone Church both saw their games postponed this week.
