"IT could have been worse - it could have been a league game."

That was Ramsbottom United manager Derek Egan's relaxed reaction to his side's exit from the Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy on Tuesday night.

A single Skelmersdale goal denied them a quarter-final place but Egan will take plenty of positives into tomorrow's home game with Stone Dominoes.

"It's not nice losing games but we need to bounce back quickly and get back on the right track," said Egan.

"I was disappointed we were knocked out, but I was pleased with the performance and pleased with the way we adapted to the conditions.

"It was very wet underneath but we played some good football and broke them down."

The match marked Ewan Purcell's first start since recovering from injury, and he is set to keep his place up front in the absence of Kyle Ingham.

Ingham is going for England Schoolboy trials this weekend and Egan honoured a request not to play him in the week leading up to them.

Adam Cook and Matt Edgington also made it through the Skelmersdale game but Matt Walsh picked up a groin strain and will be missing tomorrow, along with long term absentee Gareth Brooks.