CUDDINGTON won’t compromise on an attacking approach that has seen them score more goals than any rival in the Cheshire League so far this season.

Gareth Harwood, their manager, told the Guardian he has found a formula that works after a 4-0 win at Cheadle Heath Nomads reserves last weekend sent them back to the top of League Two.

It means they begin a defence of their Northern Cup crown on Saturday in confident mood.

“We gave a warning this might happen at the end of last season,” said Harwood.

“I felt we finished strongly and of course winning the final was great for us.”

He didn’t stop there, and the arrival of young attacking duo Max Linaker and Callum Payne over the summer has helped.

So too has having front man Joe Lanceley, who has scored 13 times in eight appearances, available more often too.

That combination has helped to increase Cuddy’s goals tally to 61 in all competitions.

Harwood said: “They’ve made a big difference.

“Callum is only 19, but he ran Cheadle’s defence ragged [last Saturday] when we played him as a striker.

“It helps as well that we’ve had a pretty settled squad, something that doesn’t always happen at our level.

“The challenge now is to keep them together and happy.”

The chances are he can.

Harwood estimated that half-a-dozen of those that travelled to Cheadle last Saturday had been teammates as juniors at Cuddington.

Several others were classmates at Hartford High School and have continued to play together.

“That definitely helps,” he said.

“They’re mates and they enjoy each other’s company.

“It makes us a close-knit group, and that willingness to pull together counts for a lot.

“We can still be inconsistent, and they do my head in at times, but there’s no doubt we’ve evolved as a side over the past couple of seasons.”

They still have work to do.

Rivals behind them in the standings all have games in hand, while nine of the Norley Road outfit’s remaining games will be away from home.

However after reaching the halfway point in their season with eight wins, Harwood is confident his side can last the distance and challenge for a promotion position.

“We’ve given ourselves a chance,” he added.