BARNOLDSWICK Town manager Danny Craig does not seem worried by their fixture backlog.

Town, who won through to the semi-finals of the Hallmark Security League's Macron Cup last weekend, are seven league games behind four clubs in the Premier Division.

Second-placed Runcorn Linnets, Congleton Town, Squires Gate and basement boys Cammell Laird 1907 have all played 34 games to Barnoldswick's 27, and the latter's Macron Cup matches against Bootle are over two legs.

But Craig said: "I have added to the squad with four players over the past few weeks and we have instituted a 'club-comes-first' policy.

"I will need all 20 players and I will rotate them to keep them fresh and hungry for action."

Barlick won their quarter-final 1-0 at First Division play-off chasers Widnes at the weekend in what was a tactical triumph.

Craig said: "We had Widnes watched a couple of times so we knew how they played and we knew how we wanted to play.

"It was based around hard work and frustrating them.

"They have a couple of quick lads who like it playing to feet, but by the end Widnes were hitting long balls, which was meat and drink to our two centre halves Shaun Airey and Jonathan Hodgkinson, who don't miss much, and our three midfielders were picking up the pieces."

Craig added: "We knew because of the way that we were playing that we would have limited opportunities ourselves, but Andy Hill stuck away a beautiful free-kick for us a minute before half-time."

Dates for the two-legged semi-finals are not yet known but Town will be at home first against a side who were third in the Premier Division after last weekend.

Craig said: "I am a new manager, so don't know whether we would prefer to be at home first or second to be honest but we would rather have played Bootle in the final as they are the strongest team left in the competition – on paper."

The other semi-final is an all-First Division affair between City of Liverpool and Chadderton, but Craig added: "With all of the new clubs in the First Division this season that is a strong section too."

Town return to league action tomorrow night at home to Nelson.