Midcheshire Independent Issue 192

MAY/JUNE 2026 20 Independent LOCAL SPORT LOCAL RUGBY ROUND-UP LOCAL CRICKET ROUND-UP NANTWICH Town boss Luke Goddard has set out the chal- lenge for his side next season. After three mid-table seasons in NPLWest, he says the next step is for The Dabbers to return to becoming a contender at the top end of the league. Reflecting on the per- formance in 2025/26 he said: “It was a ninth placed finish, missing out on goal difference for eighth which was since January a target we wanted to achieve. “ Nat u ra l ly it ’s Promotion for 1874: heartbreak for Vics NANTWICH and Alderley Edge made the most of a weekend which saw seven first XI matches abandoned in the Cheshire Pre- mier League. A comfortable win over Timperley at Whitehouse Lane sawThe Dabbers in second place in the table. The decision by Tim- perley, who have now lost three games in a row, backfired against an accurate Nant- wich attack. Ray Doyle (4-20) and Scott Wardley (3-14) triggered a collapse from 79-4 to 89 all out inside 26 overs. John Fowler claimed two quick wick- ets in reply, including Rob Jones, but Nantwich eased to a seven-wicket victory within 18 overs. Alderley Edge secured an impressive victory away at Oxton and are now fourth in the ladder. They bowled the hosts out for 173, with seven of the eight bowlers used tak- ing wickets. Edge struggled early in their reply and were in trouble at 36-6 in the 15th over. However, Simon Normanton joined Will Valentine to construct a patient recovery. The pair batted together for 25 overs in a partnership of 98 to tilt the game back in Alderley’s favour. Valentine was dis- missed for 52, but Normanton remained unbeaten on 60 from 120 balls, hitting the winning boundary with nine balls to spare. In Cheadle, a 94-over game was completed with only an hour lost to the weather. The match ended in a tie between the two newly promoted sides. Bramhall missed an opportunity for a full 20-point win after reduc- ing Cheadle to 172-9 in pursuit of 211. Last man Ben Broadhurst (4-33 earlier with the ball) joined wicketkeeper Dan Osborne to steadily accu- mulate the remaining runs, aided by six wides and four byes. Cheadle required nine runs from the final over; Osborne hit a boundary on the fourth delivery, but Bramhall restricted the remaining balls to singles to secure 15 points each from the tie. Earlier, Greg Dixon (56) top-scored for Bramhall, with contributions from Jacob Workman (44) and Ollie Latter (42), while Dan Brown took 4-63 for the hosts. Lindow’s strong start to the season ended with a six-wicket defeat to Neston in a rain- hit game. In Division One early league leaders Bollington maintained their winning streak at Maritime. They secured their fourth consecutive vic- tory as their disciplined bowling attack dismissed Maritime for 171, despite a late 37-run stand for the final wicket. Bollington chased the target comfortably, win- ning by six wickets with 13 overs to spare, guided by Andrej Yaksender’s patient unbeaten 52. Stockport Georgians kept pace at the top of the table by avoiding the worst of the rain to defeat Macclesfield. They bowled out a strong Macclesfield side for 130 inside 39 overs before reaching their target five wickets down in the 31st over. Marple were struggling at 44-4 against Alvan- ley when their match was abandoned due to heavy rain. Bowdon were left frus- trated by the rain at Toft during their most prom- ising performance of the season. Joe Chapple took 4-30 in 10 overs to reduce Toft to 5-3, with the hosts recovering slightly to 107-5 after 24 overs when play was perma- nently halted. In Division Two Chea- dle Hulme suffered a defeat at the hands of Christleton. SANDBACH RUFC’s sen- ior players and volunteers celebrated the season’s successes, both on and off the field, at their annual awards night. The awards honoured an array of players from each of the four senior men’s teams, touch rugby and walk- ing rugby, as well as other roles across the spectrum of the club. This season’s achievements include, for the second consec- utive season, a third-place league finish for Sandbach 1st XV and a place in the play- offs, where they bowed out in the second round. At the end of the regular season, Sandbach 1st XV were consistently near the top of the statistical tables, fin- ishing second for most points scored at home, fewest points conceded and home wins. They topped the standings for the most points scored in away games. Captain Laurie Essen- high ended the season as Sandbach’s top try-scorer with 20 tries. He also made 24 appearances, having not missed a single league or play-off match. Both feats were recognised at the awards evening. Last year’s recipient of the ‘Young Player of the Season’, Matt Randle, topped the club’s points scoring with 228 points from 22 starts. This included 10 tries, 70 conversions and 26 penalties, beating his 198 points tally from last season. For the first time, sup- porters got to select their player of the season. It was a close one, but the inaugural award was won by forward George Perkins. It’s been a busy awards season for club stalwart Andy Mitchell. Fresh from picking up Sandbach Town Council’s 2026 Civic Award alongside Jack Seddon, Andy was honoured for his services to the club with the ‘Outstand- ing Contribution to Sand- bach RUFC in the Modern Era’ award. Signing off in style Awards: Sandbach RUFC 1st XV Players’ Player of the Season Harry Leese with Head Coach Tom Holme (Photo credit: Andy Mitchell) Big contribution: Andy Mitchell was honoured for his services to the club (Photo credit: Josh Randle) 1874 NORTHWICH will be playing in the North- ern Premier League West next season. They sealed promotion with a 1-0 victory away at town rivals Northwich Victoria in the Mid- land League Premier Division Play-Off Final. The winning goal in the crunch game was scored by 1874 striker Mike Hayes in the 69th minute. Northwich Victoria manager Lee Duckworth has agreed to extend his contract and stay on for the 2026/27 season. Duck- worth joined the Vics half way through the 2024/25 season and along with then joint man- ager Luke Goddard stabilised the club before taking it to the edge of promotion, just falling at the last hurdle at the end of this campaign. In a statement the club said: “Lee’s decision to stay gives the club stability and the chance to continue where we left off last season.” The non-league allocations for season 26/27 by the FA have been released and as expected Vics are remaining in The Midland Foot- ball League Premier Division. However big changes have happened and the league has expanded to 20 teams from 18 and has become more north- erly looking. Half the clubs are situated north of Stafford including four from South Manchester. They include Stockport Georgians, Cheadle Town and Wythen- shawe Town. Town looking to deliver progress next season Sign off: Dabbers ended the season with a win (Photo credit: Neil Workman) By Liam Price disappointing to fall just short but it’s a fur- ther consistent season similar to the past two campaigns since we were relegated back to Step Four. “The challenge that is now very clear is how we claw back that dif- ference to ensure Nant- wich Town become a challenger once again at the top end of the league table in 12 months’ time. “That is one that will be driven by myself, Marc, the staff, a tal- ented group of players we will form and impor- tantly by everyone con- nected with NTFC, with belief and ambition in a proud, sustainable model which engages and connects with our community. “Success can be meas- ured in many ways, but we will together make the upcoming years an enjoyable journey.” Town ended the 2025/26 season with a 2-0 victory away at already-relegated Wythenshawe Town. The Dabbers took the lead in the 13th min- ute when a cross from the left from Perry Bir- cumshaw was headed in by top scorer Alex Panter. A towering header from Panter for his 20th league goal of the season and 26th in all competitions. He finishes tied third in the NPL West Golden Boot and with 26 has recorded the most goals in a single season by a Nantwich player since Aaron Burns in 2013/14. And all this in his first full season at step four. Bryan Harrison also finished the season with double figures in goals and assists in 25/26. The 38-year-old was one of only three Town players to have appeared in all 53 competitive games of the campaign alongside Panter and Ben Garratt. Ending the season in ninth place means Luke Goddards’s side will, pending confirmation, start the FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round in the first week- end of August and before the league season starts. The three seasons the Dabbers have spent in the NPL West post-rel- egation shows a picture of consistency: 10th, 8th and 9th place finishes. That’s despite all three of those seasons ending under different managers and the usual turnover of players at this level. Rain takes its toll but Dabbers shine MEETING THE BIG CHALLENGE