WEEKEND PREVIEW: VALLEY READY TO END FRUSTRATING WAIT WITH WYTHENSHAWE REMATCH

Three weeks after their last competitive outing, Mersey Valley will finally hope to return to Cheshire Football League Two action this Saturday when they travel to face Wythenshawe Reserves.

Two successive weekends without football have left Valley frustrated, with postponements denying the Amber Army the opportunity to build on their encouraging performances throughout October.

But the wait could finally be over as Valley prepare for a return meeting with opponents they defeated 6-0 at Banky Lane just four weeks ago.

That remarkable afternoon saw James Matthews score four times in one of the standout individual performances of the season, and the Valley striker heads into this weekend having been crowned the club’s October Player of the Month and Goal of the Month.

With a full programme of League Two fixtures scheduled, another fascinating weekend awaits across the Cheshire Football League.

Three Weeks Without Football

For Mersey Valley, October ended with frustration rather than football.

The scheduled home encounter against Warrington Rylands Development on 24 October fell victim to the weather, before the following weekend’s trip to Maine Road Reserves also failed to take place.

It means Valley have not played a competitive fixture since Saturday 17 October, when James Matthews struck in the 92nd minute to secure a dramatic 1-1 draw against Haydock at Banky Lane.

That late equaliser provided a fitting conclusion to an excellent contest between two determined sides, and followed the previous weekend’s outstanding 6-0 victory against Wythenshawe.

The postponements have been particularly frustrating given the progress Valley had been showing, with Hudson’s side beginning to find greater confidence and consistency after a difficult start to the campaign.

The challenge now is to pick up where they left off.

Three weeks is a long time without competitive football, particularly for a squad eager to build momentum, but Saturday offers a fresh opportunity to get the season moving again.

Matthews Celebrates October Double

Although there has been little action on the pitch over the past fortnight, there has still been plenty to celebrate at Banky Lane.

Striker James Matthews has been named Mersey Valley’s October Player of the Month and Goal of the Month winner following an extraordinary run of performances.

The Valley number nine scored eight goals in just three league appearances during October, beginning with a hat-trick in the remarkable 6-5 defeat at Pilkington.

A week later came an unforgettable afternoon against Wythenshawe, as Matthews struck four times in Valley’s emphatic 6-0 victory. He then completed a memorable month with the dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Haydock.

His outstanding individual goal against Wythenshawe also earned the club’s Goal of the Month award, completing a deserved double. But beyond the goals, Matthews’ contribution has been about much more than individual recognition.

His performances have been central to Valley’s improved attacking displays, while his work rate and commitment have set an example throughout the squad.

With Saturday’s opponents being the same side he scored four against in October, Matthews will undoubtedly be hoping to continue his impressive form.

League Two: The Battle Continues

The opening months of the Cheshire Football League Two season have already provided some extraordinary scorelines, outstanding individual performances and plenty of surprises.

At the top of the division, Upton have set an exceptional standard, winning each of their opening seven league matches. Their most recent league outing saw them produce another remarkable performance, defeating Wythenshawe 5-1 away from home to maintain their perfect record.

Seven victories, 21 points and a goal difference of plus 30 underline just how impressive their start has been. But behind the leaders, the competition remains wide open.

Wythenshawe, Haydock, Barnton Reserves, Pilkington, Congleton Town Reserves and Mersey Valley are all part of a closely contested chasing pack, with the uneven number of matches played making the league table particularly difficult to assess.

For Valley, the picture is one of opportunity. Valley have seven points from six league matches, with two victories, a draw and three defeats.

Their recent performances have demonstrated the quality within the squad, but turning that potential into a consistent return of points remains the priority.

With a busy period of football approaching, November could prove an important month for clubs throughout the division.

Another Big Weekend Across League Two

After a disrupted couple of weeks, Saturday brings a welcome return to a full programme of Cheshire Football League Two fixtures.

League leaders Upton host Cheadle Heath Nomads Reserves, looking to extend their remarkable winning sequence and maintain their position at the top of the table.

The visitors will be hoping to provide a stern examination for the division’s pace-setters and produce a result that would certainly attract attention across the league.

Elsewhere, Haydock welcome Moore United in another intriguing encounter. Haydock have demonstrated their quality throughout the opening weeks, including their excellent contest with Mersey Valley last month, and will be looking to maintain their challenge near the top of the table.

Barnton Reserves entertain Warrington Rylands Development in a fixture that could have an important bearing on the tightly contested middle section of the division.

Congleton Town Reserves host Maine Road Reserves, with both teams looking to establish greater consistency as the season develops.

After three weeks without competitive action, the challenge will be to rediscover their rhythm, match the intensity of their opponents and produce another strong performance. We caught up with manager Jon Hudson.

Jon, it’s now three weeks since your last competitive match. How frustrating has that been?

It’s been incredibly frustrating, to be honest.

We’d started to put together some really encouraging performances and there was a feeling that we were beginning to make some genuine progress.

The win against Wythenshawe was outstanding, and I thought the performance against Haydock was another big step forward.

We wanted to build on that, but unfortunately the weather had other ideas.

You can’t do anything about postponements. You just have to make sure you keep working hard, maintain the standards in training and are ready when the next opportunity comes along.

Hopefully that’s this Saturday.

You’re returning to face a Wythenshawe side you beat 6-0 just four weeks ago. Does that change your preparation?

Not particularly, because every game is different.

We were excellent that afternoon and I was incredibly proud of the lads, but that result means absolutely nothing when we kick off on Saturday.

Wythenshawe are a good side. They’ve had some excellent results this season and they’ll be determined to put things right after what happened at Banky Lane.

We have to respect that.

The important thing is that we concentrate on our own performance, work hard for each other and show the same desire and commitment that we’ve demonstrated in recent games.

James Matthews has just won both Player and Goal of the Month. How pleased are you for him?

I’m absolutely delighted for James because he deserves it. Eight goals in three games is an incredible return at any level of football, but it’s not just about the goals.

His attitude has been fantastic, his work rate is excellent and he’s become a really important player for us.

The four goals against Wythenshawe were obviously special, but I thought his equaliser against Haydock said just as much about him.

We’re in the 92nd minute, we’re behind, and he’s still there believing he can make something happen.

That’s the sort of mentality you want in your players. He’s had a brilliant month and hopefully there’s plenty more to come.

With the season now moving into November, what do you want to see from the squad?

Consistency, more than anything.

We’ve shown we can play some excellent football and we’ve shown we can compete against good sides. But we’ve also had some difficult afternoons, and we can’t ignore those.

I believe this squad is capable of much more than our current league position suggests, but belief on its own doesn’t win football matches. You have to earn everything.

We’ve worked hard to get ourselves into a better place over the last few weeks and now we need to turn that into results. There’s a long way to go this season and a lot of football still to be played.

Finally, what’s your message ahead of Saturday?

Enjoy being back out there.

It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks for everyone and I know the lads are desperate to get playing again. We’ve got a good group, there’s a really positive atmosphere around the squad and we’ve got plenty to look forward to.

But when Saturday comes, we have to be ready to work. Wythenshawe will want to respond to the last game, and we have to make sure we’re prepared for that challenge.

I want us to be positive, confident and committed to each other. We’ve waited three weeks for another opportunity.

Now let’s make the most of it.

This Weekend

Saturday 7 November 2026

Cheshire Football League Two

Barnton Reserves v Warrington Rylands Development
Congleton Town Reserves v Maine Road Reserves
Haydock v Moore United
Upton v Cheadle Heath Nomads Reserves
Wythenshawe Reserves v Mersey Valley