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Will Latics come up smelling of Roses?

28/ 7/2004

LATICS are looking to complete their pre-season campaign in style in Friday night's Rose Bowl clash with Rochdale (7.30pm).

Brian Talbot is expected to name a full-strength squad for the short journey to Spotland for the club's final warm-up game before their opening Coca Cola League One fixture at Luton Town on August 7.

Former West Ham United goalkeeper David Forde, 24, may get a chance to earn a permanent contract after appearing in Wednesday night's reserve game at Mossley.

The club were forced to scrap their plans to sign Trinidad and Tobago keeper Kelvin Jack earlier this week despite two impressive pre-season displays against Newcastle Town and Leeds United.

Club officials could not agree personal terms with the player who became the fourth goalkeeper to leave following a trial this summer. Previously, Steve Corry, Shaun Allaway and Dino Seremet had all been put through their paces in the search for back-up to first-choice Les Pogliacomi.

Friday's fixture has a fine tradition stretching back to a pre-season clash in August 1962 which saw Latics lose the first-ever Rose Bowl challenge 2-1.

That clash was repeated for the next 11 years, then sporadically during the Eighties and Nineties before being officially revived this summer by our sister paper, the Rochdale Observer.

Admission prices for the game are £10 adults and £5 concessions.

• FORMER Nantwich Town forward Wes Wilkinson has returned to Boundary Park after a week of rehabilitation work at Lilleshall following knee surgery in April.