The Blues chief has his sights set on a top-six challenge this season, and has called on his men to show they want to play a big part in any success.

Despite coming from behind to beat AFC Emley from the Northern Counties East League First Division 2-1 at Shawbridge on Tuesday night, Reynolds was disappointed with a number of his players, and he called for more hunger and desire: "I'm not too bothered about the result, I've just said to the lads that they've got to get it out of their heads that these are games – it's just another training session.

"A few of them didn't treat it as a training session and just did enough – if I had turned up and said we were running, they would have done it.

"But they got a little bit comfortable in the game and a couple of them let themselves down, if I'm being honest.

"It wasn't a bad workout, and five or six people got a lot out of it, but a few didn't get as much as we wanted them to.

"That's for me and Pete (Smith) to address, but we certainly learned a lot."

And he expects to see an improvement on Saturday, with two sides in action, at West Lancashire League outfits Charnock Richard and Fulwood Amateurs: "The lads have got to want to do better, and they have another 90 minutes to show me and Pete they want to be here.

"I obviously want the best side to be here, but I won't put up with the lads just going through the motions and thinking last season they did enough.

"This season is a new season and I'm definitely after chasing a top-six finish, if not some silverware.

"We've got to put a side together over pre-season to do that.

"I don't want to add to the squad, I know we've got quality, but I need everyone to realise they have an opportunity they need to take, and if they're not prepared to take it, I won't have any passengers here.

"We're going to set our stall out to do things the right way."

The Blues, without the Smiths, Jonathan and Alex – in action for a second string at Darwen, and with Ryan Fisher and Reynolds himself not available as they look to return from knee injuries, lost striker Anthony Johnson and Gary Stopforth to knocks within the first 15 minutes against Emley.

And after a bright start, with both wide men, Dave Hankin and Owen Roberts, prominent, Clitheroe suffered as a result.

Clitheroe created a string of early openings, the best a solo effort crafted by Carl Lomax, who intercepted a poor pass and showed pace and strength to burst clear, only to be denied by the keeper.

However, after the break, Emley grew into the game, and after a superb intervention from James Mann and Adam Kozlowski stopped the visitors netting the opener, Andy Farrell clipped the top of the bar, before substitute Marc Townsend headed home a free kick from close range with 16 minutes remaining.

Clitheroe responded well, and when a throughball evaded the Emley centre backs, Brian Dawson rounded substitute keeper Ben Roebuck, only to be brought down, and Roberts slammed home the penalty.

There was still time for a winner, with the impressive Jason Jones confidently finishing first time from the edge of the box after Carl Lomax was held up by Roebuck.

Reynolds was not entirely satisfied, however: "We have pace and strength, youth and experience – we've got everything, it's just blending it together in pre-season.

"On paper we have a fantastic side, but you have to have that belief and hunger inside you.

"I'm not saying we haven't got that, but in patches we looked like we didn't, it looked any easy excuse not to go into that tackle or make that run.

"To win games we have to do that on cold Tuesday nights in the middle of November, to dig in and have that hunger, and that will get you points."