RHYL'S Uefa Cup preparations have been thrown into disarray by the decision of Birmingham City to pull out of tonight's friendly at Belle Vue at short notice. The match would have been the Lilywhites' final run-out before next Thursday's first qualifying round, second leg against FK Atlantas in Lithuania. Manager John Hulse said: "It's a bad blow to the club because we were expecting a big crowd and I was planning to try a few things out with the Atlantas game in mind." Birmingham are believed to be suffering around 19 injuries and would have been forced to send a youth team to Rhyl. The club has pledged to send its first team to Belle Vue during the an international break in October. Hulse has instead organised a friendly against West Cheshire League club Ashville to be played at 2.30pm on Saturday at Belle Vue. * COLWYN Bay are hoping new striker Simon Burton's ankle injury is not as serious as first thought. Burton was stretchered off in the first minute of Tuesday's 1-0 win over Leigh RMI after being tackled as he shot against a post. "We are arranging for Simon to attend a private clinic at Wrexham and we are hoping it's just a sprain, not ligament damage," said manager Adie Jones yesterday. New arrival Ryan Baker is available for Saturday's friendly at Newtown along with John Keegan and Carl Rodgers. Chris Hogg, a 19-year-old trialist midfielder from Crewe Alexandra, will be given another chance after impressing against Leigh while Alex Kevan is set to continue his comeback from a knee injury. | 
