STEVE Wilkes will give his fringe players a chance to impress as Padiham entertain Bacup in the LFA United Co-operative Challenge Trophy tonight.

Reserve team player Andy Smith and trialist Carl Luisi will be among those likely to start while Martin Parkes will be rested for the visit of the in-form NWCL Division One side.

Wilkes said: "With all due respect to the cup competitions, the league is our main priority but that doesn't mean we don't want to win.

"Bacup are from a higher division and in good form so this will be a good chance for some of our fringe players to show what they are capable of."

Bacup manager Brent Peters is still without Lee Kershaw and Tony Coyne and will give a late fitness test to Todd Heyes, who picked an ankle injury at the weekend.

And Peters reckons his side are in for a tough battle tonight against their North West Counties League opponents.

He said: "Padiham are really a first division club with an under-achieving team at times.

"But they will be fired for this one, as will we, because this is a lucrative competition for us."