Last updated 10:10, Wednesday, 23 April 2008

MARYPORT will be without three of their top teenagers for tomorrow’s clash with Broughton Red Rose – but the progressive Cumberland League outfit are not complaining as the youngsters are on Great Britain duty.

Dawes: GB Lion

Jonathan Dawes, Daniel Rooney and Patrick Vaughan are training with the GB Community Lions Under-19s, aiming to cement a place on the summer tour to New Zealand.

“If they could all get on the tour it would be fantastic,” said secretary Paul Williamson.

Maryport’s long-standing youth policy is paying off and they are comfortably fielding two teams this term, with the A-team made up of the Under-16s from the past two seasons.

Williamson also points out that only two regular first-teamers are aged over 25.

And two points at fourth-placed Broughton tomorrow, who they trail by four points, with four games in hand, would see Maryport significantly boost their hopes of a top-four finish.

“We are hopefully pushing for the top four, and if we do it, it will be a fantastic achievement,” Williamson said.

“I would guess we haven’t finished that high for at least 25 years. By all accounts we were very unlucky at Hensingham last week.

“Everyone thought we should have got something out of the game.

“We beat Broughton fairly convincingly earlier in the season, but the heavy conditions will suit them tomorrow.

“They are a big, strong team, while we rely on speed, as we haven’t got big players. In the previous two years there’s been nothing between the sides, and on paper this will be a cracking game.”

Maryport, who could have centre Darryl Parker back after a long-term knee problem, went down 16-10 at Hensingham, who could strengthen their hold on second-place behind Kells if they beat struggling Great Clifton.

Unbeaten Kells look to have a stranglehold on the league title, five points ahead of Hensingham with a game in hand.

But Williamson reckons Maryport’s neighbours Ellenborough, seven behind Kells with two matches in hand, could still spring a shock.

“Personally, I think Ellenborough will pip Kells,” he predicted. “I have only seen Ellenborough twice this year, but they look very, very well-organised.

“Gary Murdock has done a good job. I know we have our rivalry with Ellenborough, but with what he also did at Workington Town, he has to be one of the county’s best coaches.

“But we also have a good coaching team in Martin Oglanby, Frankie Akehurst and John Morgan.”

In the pick of Division Two matches, Cockermouth host leaders Wigton. Craig Fisher’s team trail the pacesetters by eight points but have six games in hand.