Neston know that they must re-find form quickly

Aug 25 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

DESPITE winning only one of their last six games, Neston still top the ECB Premier Division in The Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League, but with reigning champions Oulton Park breathing down their necks, the Parkgate men cannot expect to finish top in a month’s time unless their form improves.

Stan Clifford today takes his team in a must-win visit to east-Cheshire to take on bottom of the table Bramhall, captained by Andy Hall, who may have his mind set on Bank Holiday Monday’s Minor Counties Cup final against Suffolk at Lord’s.

Unless they can take maximum points, Neston could find themselves overtaken by the close of play with Oulton Park taking on modest Nantwich at Little Budworth.

Nantwich, however, were the last team to beat Oulton in a league match more than two years ago and came near to repeating the feat in June.

The third team in the title race, Urmston visit a lowly Toft team strengthened by the return of paceman Matt Cornes from his new home in New Zealand.

Accompanying Bramhall in the relegation zone, Christleton will probably bid farewell to premiership cricket for at least 12 months unless they win at Hyde.

In Division One Macclesfield are drawing away at the top with a 24 points lead over second-placed Oxton. Macclesfield, whose Australian batsman Evan Gulbis completed 1,000 runs last Saturday – at an average of 145 – host Timperley who have key bowler Nick Liddell suspended.

Birkenhead Park, who need to win three of their last four games to stand any chance of avoiding their second successive relegation, face a difficult task at Didsbury, while improving Upton could reach mid-table if they beat bottom of the table Alsager.