Can Vale Royal Athletics Club be best again?

COACH Shaun McGrath said Vale Royal Athletics Club’s medals haul at last year’s Northern Cross Country Championships in Knowsley was proof of a ‘best yet’ performance at the annual event.

They returned with three team titles, for the junior women, under 17s boys and under 17s girls, and an individual gold for Elliot Bowker in the under 17s boys’ race.

Three more gongs – one silver, two bronze – completed the set.

The Knights Grange-based club head to Pontefract, in West Yorkshire, on Saturday with similarly high hopes for the 2015 edition.

Organisers say more than 2,900 runners have registered to compete across five age groups, from under 13s through to seniors, with races scheduled to start at 11am.

One athlete who won’t be running in Vale Royal colours is Katie Gerrard, who has been selected to represent England on Sunday in the junior women’s race at the Lotto Crosscup in Belgium.

How we reported Vale Royal's success at last year's Northern Cross Country Championships:

Northwich Guardian:

 

Will Witton move a step closer to securing Premier Division safety?

FOLLOWING an encouraging performance in a draw with title hopefuls Buxton last weekend, Witton visit the Bucks’ neighbours this weekend.

Matlock, in the relegation zone, start Saturday’s contest seven points adrift of Albion.

Tony Sullivan’s men can widen a gap between the two clubs to double figures if they can claim a fifth away win of the season.

History favours them too, with three of their past four visits to Causeway Lane for a league game ending in a victory.

The Gladiators, now with Mark Hume in charge following the departure of Dave Rushberry and Martin Foster last week, have also lost eight of their past nine Premier Division fixtures.

“It’s a massive game for both teams on Saturday, but it’s not the be all and end all if we don’t beat them,” said Sullivan.

Northwich Guardian:

Witton sit one place above the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division's relegation zone before kick off at Matlock this weekend. Source: evostikleague.co.uk

 

1874 Northwich target an end to sequence of defeats

IT is three weeks now since 1874 Northwich lost 1-0 at Maine Road, extending to four matches a sequence of defeats in league and cup.

Attacker Matty Ward told the Guardian in an interview his teammates have been happy to take a breather, though their wish now is for a return to winning ways.

Stockport Sports, opponents past which they put five goals without reply last month, are their guests at Barton Stadium on Saturday.

The Premier Division strugglers have lost 11 of their past 12 matches, a sequence that started in mid-October, to leave them in the relegation zone.

On paper, they’re an ideal foe for 1874 as they attempt to narrow a 25-point gap to leaders Runcorn Linnets.

Midfield duo Matthew Woolley and Lee Jones will both sit out the contest through suspension.

 

Northwich eye another trip to Twickenham

NORTHWICH have amassed more than 100 points during back-to-back league wins over the past fortnight, so head into tomorrow’s RFU Intermediate Cup clash in form.

Aspatria, fifth in the North Lancs/Cumbria division, are their guests at Moss Farm in a Northern Pool One encounter.

The visitors, beaten 36-12 by Blackburn in their opener, must win.

Head coach Alan Jack told the Guardian he hopes to see Blacks be ruthless as they start a bid to play again at Twickenham following a final success there in the RFU Senior Vase in 2007.

“Going into a win or lose game is a good challenge, because we know we have to deliver,” he said.

“There’s no second chance, but I think that’s healthy.”

Northwich Guardian:

Captain Jonathan Simpson holds aloft the EDF Energy Senior Vase won by Northwich at Twickenham in April 2007. They defeatd Bradford Salem 18-13 in the final. Picture: GEOFF STATHAM

 

Winnington Park seek to allay further fears of relegation

WINNINGTON Park, fresh from beating Northern 3-0 last Saturday, can move further from the North League Division Two West drop zone if they win at back-markers Stockport Bramhall this weekend.

The Northwich outfit are four points clear of the bottom two before push back at 1.45pm.

Improving Park have won two of their past three matches, setting them on course to match last year’s seventh-place finish.

They have an added incentive too after losing 7-5 in a 12-goal thriller to the same opponents back in September.

A repeat of a 3-2 success in last season’s corresponding fixture would do nicely.

In fact, Winnington are unbeaten at Bramhall since a narrow 3-2 reverse in November 2010.