Manchester Walking Football March 2024

All Reports By Kevin Williams

Week 1 – Over 70s Division 1 & Over 60s Divisions 1 & 2

Over 70s Report

It was a beautiful Spring day that greeted the players, officials and supporters to Heywood Sports Village on Wednesday when the Over 70s Division 1 kicked off the Spring 2024 season. Now there’s an opening line you don’t read very often in my reports.

Bury Relics kicked off their campaign with a win, and the first of four clean sheets on the day, when beating Tameside 2-0. The Shakers made a statement of intent to end the session on eight points and sit top of Division One. The East Manchester side’s day gradually improved however, when they picked up five valuable points from their 3 remaining matches.

Both Manchester Corinthians and Rochdale AFC Strollers went through the day without conceding a goal either, which left our friends from Blackpool to resume service as they left it last season, propping up the table.

I watched a number of these games and the standard was as high as it’s ever been, so the Seasiders are in a tough league. Three points separate the top four, this looks like a Division to watch closely in the coming months, and who knows, I may get the opportunity to repeat my opening remarks.

Over 60s Report

Divisions 1 and 2 of the Over 60s section kicked off with a brisk Easterly wind reminding us that we were in Heywood once again, albeit a far cry from the previous day’s warmth.

One of the most popular clubs in the league, Wakefield Wanderers, travelled from West Yorkshire once again, and travelled back across the Pennines with a remarkable haul of 10 points, taken from some of the toughest opponents you can find. Victories against Fleetwood Town Flyers, Kingsmaid and Bury Relics would be some achievement in isolation, but as a set of results, with none conceded – well it speaks for itself. Throw in a draw with Bolton Wanderers Blues, and four clean sheets, enough said.

Normally prolific scorers, Kingsmaid could only muster the one goal on the day, but garnered five points. Bolton Wanderers Blues had a fine day too – 7 points in this company is another excellent effort. They sit in second place at the end of Day 1.

Bury Relics and Fleetwood Town Flyers share bottom place at the moment, with two points; you wouldn’t back against either of them picking up more than that in April’s games.

The second tier is another challenging competition to contest, as some fairly frantic football attested to on Day 1. Blackpool Senior Seasiders strong squad sit on top of the pile having collected 10 points, remaining unbeaten on the day. Their excellent attacking options give opponents plenty to think about throughout the entire game, and they scored in all four matches today just to prove the point.

Rochdale AFC Strollers opened up with two good wins against big rivals Manchester Corinthians Reds, and newly promoted Preston North End Senior Whites, but were brought back to reality by Panthers classic counter attacking approach in the third game. Two excellent strikes could have been three, but for the crossbar. Still, second place isn’t the worst position to find yourselves in. That was the Panthers only win of the day, a feat shared with PNE, but neither club are out of the title race just yet.

Life continues to be a struggle for the lads at Manchester Corinthians; despite every game being a close run thing, just the one goal from four games made things difficult for them. Another team with too many good players to go down without a fight.

Week 2 – Over 70s Division 2 & Over 60s Divisions 3 & 4

Over 70s Report

Of the ten games played on Wednesday 13th, six ended in goalless draws, and the league table shows that the first four are separated by just 4 points. Six goals scored all told, and it was Preston North End who grabbed 50% of those, to take the early pole position. They remained unbeaten all day, two of them came in the opener against Rochdale AFC Striders, who had an awful opening 15 minutes.

Just to prove that football’s a funny old game, the Dale suddenly found their feet to grab 5 points from the remaining 3 games. It would have been 7 if not for a fine penalty save by Burnley’s John Finn. Burnley were starting in Division 2 courtesy of last season’s promotion, and with two players missing did well to draw all four matches without conceding.

Salcom sit bang in the middle of the table, losing just the once, behind Rochdale and narrowly above Burnley, whilst Bolton Arena prop up the table, although they are still in touch with the pack, on two points.

 

Over 60s Report

On a thoroughly miserable Thursday morning in Heywood, Winstanley Warriors made a statement of intent as they surged to the top of the table in Division 3, looking like they had no intention of stopping in this division any longer than they had to. Three wins and a draw is no mean feat in a section that looks very strong indeed, with Bolton Wanderers Whites also ending the day unbeaten.

Nobody would count their chickens at this early stage, certainly, but Moston Brook FC and Burnley Clarets – absolutely neither team lacking in good players – will have to go some to catch either of the top two on today’s evidence. The Clarets completed something of an unusual double, joining their Over 70’s team in failing to find the net in every fixture, making it 8 games this week. John Walton and his excellent committee will have to think about upping the goalscoring bonuses at the Lancashire club!

It was a dismal day for bottom club Rochdale AFC Striders, who by manager John Hudson’s admission should be in the division below. They fell to three defeats from four, their finger on the self destruct button on too many occasions. It’ll be a long season for the Spotland club, but things can always change in football.

The weather on pitches 3 and 4 was just as bad as on pitches 1 and 2, unsurprisingly, but none of the five teams in Division 4 who competed today seemed to care about a bit of North West weather.

Roach Dynamos were sadly unable to fulfil their fixtures, with a number of players unavailable, so it was left to the others to battle it out. At the end of the day, just three points covers those five, which makes for a very interesting season ahead.

Ribble Valley and Bury Relics Blues share top spot, their fixture ended, maybe predictably, in stalemate. Those Wonderful Wakefield Wanderers Whites are shadowing the top pair, and woe betide anyone who underestimates them, although Salcom managed to defeat them to stay right on their coat tails. Bolton Arena complete the pack of five, well in with a shout, after one round of games.

Let’s hope Roach Dynamos can raise their troops to start their climb up that mountain.

Week 3 – Over 70s Division 3 & Over 65s Divisions 1 & 2

Over 70s Report

I had as close a view as I could hope for today, when refereeing 5 of the fixtures in the Division 3 opening rounds.
We also welcomed our new friends from Hawarden, and they will certainly be an asset to the league.

The standard of football was equal to that of the 2nd Division at least, and none of the teams would be out of place there, and on the evidence of the games I officiated, a couple would thrive in the top section.

Winstanley Walkers sit on top of the pile at the end of the March fixtures, the only side unbeaten on the day, although it took a last gasp penalty save to keep their record intact, and a good save it was too!

Three teams sit 3 points behind the Wigan club, Hawarden Strollers, Moston Brook FC and Tameside Striders Greens (actually playing in red strip), in that order. Four matches of the ten ended in stalemate, which will give bottom club Panthers, every encouragement that they can make up the 3 points deficit during next month’s fixtures.

Over 65s Report

Four points separate all five teams after the top Division’s Spring season kicked off at a rather fresh HSV this morning. Only goal difference keeps Bury Relics, Wakefield Wanderers and Bolton Arena apart on six points, with Manchester Corinthians enjoying a three point breather from Blackpool, who sit on just a couple so far.

Once again draws dominated the scorelines, with four of the games ending in stalemate; it doesn’t take Mystic Meg to predict that the title race will go down to the wire in June.

In Division 2 Preston North End Senior Whites started the day with a bang, dominating Rochdale AFC Strollers and comfortably winning 2-0. They didn’t let up either, ending the day on ten points, finding only Moston Brook FC too tough a nut to crack in a goalless draw.

Rochdale eventually awoke from their slumbers, with two victories in their final games against Manchester Citizens and Panthers. They would quite possibly have sealed a third win but for the heroics of Moston keeper Graham Hall who stopped everything that came his way. Graham’s one of the games gents, as I’ve mentioned before, and he’s also a fine custodian, although that’s not what the Dale supporters were calling him!

The strength in depth of this Division is plain to see when players like those in the Citizens, Moston and Panthers squads end the day with just the one win between them. That situation will surely not last beyond April.

Week 4 – Over 65s Divisions 3 & 4

Over 65s Report

For those of you who experience hyperlexia (I suggest you Google it, I had to!), or simply enjoy coincidences, today’s Over 65’s Divisions 3 & 4 league tables will make fascinating reading.

With four teams in each section, and therefore 3 league games per month, the leading teams both have identical records, having won 2, drawn one and lost none. The second spot has been earned by virtue of being unbeaten also, with one win and 2 draws. Third and fourth positions are also the same as each other. I won’t labour the point, although the goal differences are identical too.

Winstanley Walkers head the numbers game in Division 3, three clean sheets forming the basis of their challenge today. Rochdale came from a goal down in their opener with Burnley – a Val Mears penalty brace snatching a win that looked unlikely for the first ¾ of the game. That enabled them to see out the day unbeaten too.

Burnley saw off Salcom in the finale, and will probably expect to do better next time out, certainly they look capable of doing so on today’s evidence. That left Salcom in last position but there’s a lot of points to play for.

Manchester Corinthians Ken Hitchell is used to keeping clean sheets, and kept another three of them to help his new club to pole position in Division 4.

Tameside Striders will be urgently searching for their shooting boots before the April fixtures, registering no goals today and propping up the table as a result. However just a couple at the right time can be enough to propel a team up the table, as they will know.

Sitting just behind the leaders are Ribble Valley who only found the net once today [just to prove my previous point] and Wakefield who find themselves well in touch with the top two, and have players who know how to win games.

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