RADCLIFFE Borough visit Garforth Town on Saturday hoping for a change of fortune in their bid to climb the Unibond Division One North table.

Director of football Gerry Luczka is tired of bemoaning his men’s ill-fortune after their 2-1 reverse at the hands of high-flying Skelmersdale United on Saturday.

A goalkeeping error by Phil Priestley five minutes after the interval gifted United their second goal, and although the hosts were hanging for the final 15 minutes, it was United who ultimately bagged the points.

On the back of Boro’s encouraging 3-2 home win against Skelmersdale promotion rivals, Bamber Bridge, the previous Tuesday, it was a bitter disappointment for the Stainton Park outfit, who took the lead thanks to a fine Griff Jones strike on 15 minutes, before Georgie Donnelly levelled in the 32nd minute.

“It was a great performance at Skelmersdale,” said Luczka. “It was a travesty that we did not come away with at least a point. I was very encouraged with the spirit and attitude of the players.

“We played some great stuff, we got about them and, in the last 15 minutes, they were literally hanging on.

“They wanted to protect their 2-1 lead. Normally, they go all guns blazing, but they couldn’t on Saturday because we were just pinning them back.”

But Luczka and his men are determined not to wallow in self-pity following the defeat.

Luczka continued: “You get phases during the course of the season where luck just runs against you.

“But when that happens you’ve just got to knuckle down, keep working hard and have got to change your own luck.

“We’ve scored four goals in two games now. Bamber Bridge was the first time this season that we’ve scored three goals in a league match.

“I think that we’ve set our stall out to be a little bit more direct “And the two lads up front, Griff Jones and Adam Roscoe have held the ball up really well.

“That has encouraged our midfield players to join in so the ball has stayed up in the top end, where in previous weeks it has kept coming back.”

Boro are facing the prospect of being without Craig Dawson, Michael Oates and possibly Simon Kelly on Saturday.

Dawson is due a suspension, but he might have served that by Saturday if last night’s scheduled Lancashire Cup game at Fleetwood Town of the Blue Square North league went ahead.

Otherwise, Boro’s squad will be down to the bare bones as Oates begins the first of a three-match ban following his straight red card at Chorley two weeks ago.