​Riversiders looking to ruin Chorley’s perfect start

​The hosts are one of only two teams in the division – the other being Kendal – to have an 100% record after the opening two games of the Northern Premier League season.

Defending champions Garstang were beaten on the opening day of the season, losing to Netherfield at the Riverside.

They bounced back quickly the following week, getting the better of Fleetwood at Broadwater in a low-scoring encounter.

Without their professional Snehal Kauthankar, who has yet to arrive in the country due to paperwork reasons, Garstang are at a slight disadvantage but Gilbert believes his men are more than capable of inflicting the first loss of the season on Chorley.

Andrew Holdsworth’s men defeated Fulwood & Broughton on the opening day and were too strong for Netherfield last Saturday.

In Sri Lankan Roshen Silva they have one of the strongest batting professionals in the league while all-rounder Joshua Pistorius – a student at Loughborough University – looks a fine addition to the Chorley ranks.

"It’s a bit like last season,” said Gilbert. “We played Chorley early in the season when they had won all of their games.

"I think we had won our first two, then had lost to Blackpool, but we managed to beat Chorley the week after. Hopefully we can do the same this year.

"They have got a good professional and looked to have made a couple of really good acquisitions so it’s going to be a difficult game.”