IN FORM striker Lee O'Keefe will be missing from Kendal Town's line-up for tomorrow's difficult away trip to fourth-placed Ashton United.

O'Keefe slammed in three goals in two games, but has to go into hospital for a small hernia operation and will be out for two or three weeks.

Manager Bryan Griffiths says that he is also concerned about march fitness of the squad, as waterlogged pitches and snow mean they have not played since December 23.

At the back he also has another problem because regular keeper Greg Price is still on holiday, but midfielder Stuart Darley is back from his winter break in the sun and the rest of the squad have recovered from minor injuries picked up in the pre-Christmas matches

Ashton, smarting from a 3-1 defeat by Trafford on New Year's Day will be keen to get their title challenge back on track, but Town's ability to play good football given the chance has been very obvious against the top sides this season.

Their thrilling 4-3 home victory over Ashton in September, when Ashton were at the time first division was one of the best games seen at Parkside this season and won them the league's performance award for the month.

Any points at all from tomorrow's game would be a great boost for town for with half a season gone the remaining months are shaping up for an all out dog fight between all but the five top teams in the league.

Sitting at 15th in the table, a couple of good wins could lift Kendal Town four or five places, yet at the same time if the clubs below them mange to convert games in hand to points Town could quickly find themselves deep in relegation country.

On Tuesday league action again takes a back seat - for a totally pointless final game in their group of the UniBond League Cup, when they travel to Gretna in a match which will decided the wooden spoon in the group of five

Griffiths says it will, however, give him a chance to give full games to John Dann, who is now free from suspension and to Dave Foster, who has been confined largely to the subs bench by the form of striker Rick Shaw.

"I also want to try and involve young Nick Rogan," said Griffiths.

"He has come out of the reserves and did well in a half game against Lancaster."