Castle boss Baker faces tough job to rebuild side

NEIL Baker faces one of his biggest challenges of his illustrious career in keeping Newcastle Town at Step 4 but is determined to make it work.

- Clive Youlton Football writer

His Northern Premier League West Division outfit after fourth from bottom of the table having lost 1-0 to Cliteroe last Saturday which came off the back of a vital 1-0 win against bottom club Trafford.

When reflecting on the Trafford game, the club's boss said: "We played well and Trafford was a team we needed to beat.

"We missed a few chances but then hung on and the goalkeeper made a couple of saves that kept us the three points.

"Against Clitheroe it's always a difficult place and always has been. Like most of our games it's backs to the wall, we defended well, our goalkeeper made a couple of saves in the first half, one he should have done and the second he did well too.

"In the second half we protected him well and didn't cause them many problems which is the same every week at the moment."

A refereeing decision, to give a handball against his team and a penalty, did not sit well with Baker.