Padiham FC chairman Shaun Astin backing club’s new bosses to get the business done

Joint Padiham boss Adam Morning in action during his playing days for Colne FC

The new management team have started to implement the changes having succeeded Liam Smith and Dixon Lambert at the club and there’s already been a noticeable shift in performances and results.

Including a 3-0 victory in a friendly against Evo-Stik League Premier Division side Buxton at The Silverlands, the Storks have now kept three clean sheets in succession, with a couple of goalless draws against Whitchurch Alport and Irlam coming in that sequence.

“I’m very pleased with the two lads,” said Astin. “They’ve put a lot of effort in to it so far and they’re turning things around. They’ve steadied the ship since coming in.

“I’m very pleased with our last few results. We haven’t been beaten and we haven’t conceded a goal. We’re looking stronger and more organised, we don’t look like we’re going to concede.

“We played Buxton in a friendly and beat them 3-0. They had eight or nine of their regulars playing so it was a big result for us. That helped us build in to our league games.”

The Storks remain embroiled in a battle for survival in the top flight of the Hallmark Security League. Just two points separate them from 19th place West Didsbury and Chorlton, though the Storks have a couple of games in hand on their rivals.

Both Morning and Morrison are inexperienced in this type of role, and in stewarding this type of situation, but Astin is confident that the pair are the right men to pull Padiham out of trouble.

They’ve already given the squad a facelift with goalkeeper Kai Calderbank-Park, a second year scholar at Burnley, coming in alongside Mark Haslam, Alex Pope, Jack Kay, Gary Burnett, Kirtis Monson and Ben Mills.

Ahead of tomorrow’s game against Bootle at the Arbories, the chairman said: “The enthusiasm of both lads stood out. Adam has played at a higher level and I’ve known Michael since he was a kid. They are both winners.

“Adam played for us at the beginning of the season and he impressed me then. You could tell with the way that he spoke about the game that he was very knowledgeable. They’re both winners through and through so it was a no-brainer.

“Our aim is to consolidate this year and then we’ll look ahead to pre-season. It will be all systems go for next year then.

“We need to get that first competitive win under our belts then we can push on. I think three wins will see us safe this season. I can’t see us going down anyway. There’s a real buzz around the club again. It’s all looking good.

“They are starting to put their own stamp on things and the players look like they know what they’re doing and what’s expected of them.”

Meanwhile, club volunteer John Dixon has been in contact with a charitable organisation in Atherton to arrange for old football kits to be sent out to orphanages and youth organisations in Africa.

Remaining fixtures: Hanley Town (a), Silsden (a), Abbey Hey (h), West Didsbury and Chorlton (a), Barnoldswick Town (h), Congleton Town (h), Squires Gate (h), City of Liverpool (a), Ashton Athletic (h), Winsford United (h).