ANDY Grimshaw hopes the NWCL first division will see a rejuvented Ramsbottom United this weekend.

The Riverside outfit have played only two games this year and lost them both, the last one being a 4-2 defeat against Newcastle Town in the Marsden Trophy.

But Grimshaw, joint manager with Jimmy Clarke, says their players have been working hard and are fired up for this weekend's trip to Flixton.

"We're looking forward to actually getting a game after our postponement last weekend," he said.

"Doni Clarke has been with us for two weeks now and hasn't been able to feature, or Gareth Gardner. But we've worked really hard in training on fitness and set pieces and I'm looking forward to the chance to try things out.

"We just want to get out there and give it a go because I firmly believe Ramsbottom United can get out of the mess its got itself into.

"We've got 19 matches left and I fully expect us to get off the bottom very soon."

And Grimshaw is confident they can pick up their first league win since early December at Valley Road tomorrow to set them up nicely for their home clash with rivals Clitheroe on Tuesday night.

"Flixton have lost their chairman and manager in the last two and a half months so they are in dire straits at the moment," he said.

"Hopefully we'll be able to jump at the chance to capitalise on any weaknesses.

"I've had a couple of reports from their last two games where they have played poorly, so it's a good chance for us to see how far we've come and try to get a result.

"But we've got a tough week ahead with the midweek game as well."

Ramsbottom could welcome back Scott Thomas after he completed a 56-day ban, but the midfielder was struggling with a back injury. While the team is preparing to be without the services of Russell Brierley, who starts a 56-day ban next week.