Brig eye up third successive victory

The game will kick-off at 1pm – two hours earlier than scheduled as there was a possibility that the fixture would clash with a potential England fixture at the World Cup.

As it is, the Three Lions finished top of Group B and now play Senegal on Sunday in the last 16.

Brig will be hoping the early start won’t deter them too much as they look to move back into the play-off positions in the NPL Premier Division.

It certainly been a crazy month or so for Jamie Milligan’s men. At the end of October, they were in touching distance of the top after picking up five wins out of six.

However, since then they have suffered some heavy defeats, including 7-0 to Hyde United and 5-0 to South Shields.

But it’s not all been doom and gloom – Brig defeated Atherton Collieries 3-0 and thrashed Matlock Town 5-1 on Saturday at the Sir Tom Finney Stadium.

Milligan has pointed to the absence of a number of key individuals as the reason behind his side’s inconsistency.

And in spite of the topsy-turvy record, Brig are still right in the play-off mix – level on points with Marine and Warrington Town who are fourth and fifth respectively.

"It has been a crazy month,” said Milligan. “I think before last Saturday’s game, we had lost four of our last six.

"But we are still on level points with the play-offs. I think it just shows what a mad league it is, everybody is losing to each other.

"The league leaders South Shields have dropped points recently. I just think if we can get our full squad fit then we can compete with anybody.”

Brig have been struggling to fill their substitutes’ bench at times – indeed they only had two subs for Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over Lancaster City in the LFA Challenge Trophy.

Milligan is hopeful that he will have Nathan Pond to call upon this weekend although Paul Dawson remains suspended.

Jamie Thomas faces a knee operation and is likely to be out until the new year and there are doubts over Matthew Thomson and Isaac Sinclair.