Manchester Walking Football March 2022

GMWF 60s League

We now have 5 Divisions, with four new teams joining us, Burnley Clarets, Garstang WFC, Ribble Valley WFC and Winstanley Walkers FC. They will of course all start in the lower divisions. Division 5 will be played on Wednesdays on the smaller section of the Heywood Sports Village pitches.

Manchester Walking Football March 2022 was the first session of the Spring League, Divisions 1 & 2 were played on the 3rd of the month. There are no weak sides in this division and most of the teams would be successful in any other league or tournament.

In Division 1, last seasons Champions Manchester Corinthians Reds could only manage four draws, the same as Rochdale AFC Strollers, themselves former Champions. Both teams are mid table on four points. Runners up in the Autumn 2021 league, Wakefield Wanderers managed one win, two draws and one loss and are in second spot on five points.

Newly promoted Club Kingsmaid head the table with eight points and already look likely Champions. They are a very strong side and play some nice one or two touch football. Bury Relics finished the day with two points from two draws and two losses and are in unfamiliar territory at bottom of the table.

In Division 2 Bolton Wanderers Walkers who were relegated form Division 1 in the Autumn 2021 league, head the table on goal difference from the improved Blackpool FC Senior Seasiders. Both are on eight points from two wins and two draws.

Preston North End Senior Whites are in third position on five points from one win, two draws and one loss. Manchester Corinthians Whites started well with a win and a draw, then fell away with two losses and are in fourth spot. Fleetwood Town Flyers, runners up in the Autumn 2021 league Division 2, had a bad day and could only manage the one point with three losses and the one draw and prop up the table.

Twenty seven goals were scored in the ten fixtures in Divisions 1 & 2 in this first session.

Divisions 3 and 4 were played on 10th march. In Division 3 newly promoted Carlisle SOA top the table on ten points with three wins and one draw and look the team to catch. Only two points behind are Purple Panthers with two wins and two draws. Rochdale Striders are mid table on four points after one win, one draw and two losses.

Maccabi Old Codgers lie in fourth spot after three draws and one loss. Salcom are in bottom spot on one point from one draw and three losses.

In Division 4, now with four teams in the division and extended game time, saw two new teams involved, Burnley Clarets and Garstang WFC.

The Clarets had a good day winning two and drawing one and top the table on seven points. Moston Brook FC are a point behind on six after two wins and one loss. Garstang, who looked a decent side are in third position on four points with one win, one draw and one loss. Roach Dynamos had a bad day losing all three fixtures and are bottom placed with no points.

In the new Division 5, played on 23rd March, we had four new teams, two from new clubs and two new teams from existing clubs. Ribble Valley WFC and Winstanley Walkers FC were the new clubs and Bury Relics Blues and Wakefield Wanderers Whites were the two new teams.

Winstanley got off to a good start picking up seven points from two wins and a draw and head the table on seven points. Three points behind and in second place are the other new club Ribble Valley WFC who had one win, one draw and one loss.

The two new teams from existing clubs, Bury Relics Blues and Wakefield Wanderers Whites are both on two points with the same goal difference and take up the third and fourth spots in the table.

GMWF 65s League

Divisions 1 and 2 were played on 17th March, Divisions 3 and 4 on 24th March.

Only eight goals were scored In Division 1 in this March session. Last seasons Champions Manchester Corinthians head the table on six points after one win and three draws. Only two points separate all five teams in this division. Joint second placed on five points and the same goal difference are Preston North End Senior Whites and Manchester Senior Citizens. Both teams recorded one win, two draws and one loss.

Last seasons runners up, Bury Relics, finished the day on four points from four draws and Rochdale AFC Strollers are on the same points but an inferior goal difference of minus one after one win, one draw and two losses.

In Division 2 fifteen goals were recorded, almost double the Division 1 total. Fleetwood Town Flyers top the table on eight points from two wins and two draws. Close behind on seven points are newly promoted Club Kingsmaid who also had a decent start with two wins, one draw and one loss.

Salcom take third spot on four points from four draws. Blackpool FC Senior Seasiders finished with three points after three draws and one loss, while Purple Panthers prop up the table on two points from two draws and two losses.

In Division 3 last seasons runners up Bolton Arena head the table on ten points from three wins and a draw. Moston Brook FC are second on seven points with two wins, a draw and one loss. Rochdale Wanderers are third on six points with one win and three draws.

It wasn’t a good day for both Rochdale Striders and Chester Northgate, the former on two points from two draws and two losses, the latter on one point after one draw and three losses.

In the newly formed Division 4, new club Burnley Clarets top the table on five points from one win and two draws. Joint second on three points each and the same goal difference after three draws each are new team Man City In The Community and Manchester Corinthians Whites. Wakefield Wanderers are on two points after two draws and one loss.

Only three goals were scored in the six fixtures in Division 4, with just one win and five draws, four of them scoreless.

GMWF 70s League

With 2 new teams joining this age group, Manchester Corinthians and Tameside Striders Stripes, the divisions now comprise 5 teams and are all played on Wednesdays on the smaller section of the Heywood Sports Village pitches.

Division 1 was played on 2nd March. The first two places are currently the same as how they finished in the Autumn 2021 league. Champions Rochdale AFC Strollers are top on eight points from two wins and two draws. Bury Relics are on six points from one win and three 0-0 draws.

Blackpool FC Senior Seasiders lie in joint third spot on five points from one win two draws and one loss. Newly promoted Manchester Senior Citizens are joint third with five points, also with one win, two draws and one loss. Preston North End Senior Whites, who finished third in the Autumn 2021 league are in bottom spot with one point after three losses and the one draw. In the ten fixtures today only six goals were scored and there were five 0-0 draws.

Division 2 was played on 9th March and three teams were down to the bare bones of six players. Salcom, who had a good day winning three and losing one, top the table on nine points. Tameside Striders Blues are in second spot on eight points with two wins and two draws.

New teams Manchester Corinthians and Tameside Striders Stripes are on seven and two points respectively. The Corinthians won two, drew one and lost one, while the Striders Stripes drew two and lost two. Moston Brook FC drew one and lost three and are bottom placed on one point.

Comment:
Despite no longer recording the referees gradings in fixtures they have officiated, some comments were written this month on the Fixtures/Score Sheet documents. Thankfully all of them positive, stating the excellence of our panel of referees, who must be amongst the best in the country.

Comments welcome below.

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