NC1 - Milford Marlins 56 v 10 Eccles
NWC1 - Blackpool Scorpians 58 v 0 Folly Lane (i said it'd be very tough!)
NWC3 - Irlam Hornets 26 v 20 Haresfinch
NWC3 - Spring View 32 v 2 Langworthy
NWC4 - Eccles A 8 v 44 Cadishead
NWC5 - Chorley Panthers 16 v 19 Bury Broncos (big big result given we had up to 9 missing!)
NWC5 - Bolton Mets 26 v 16 Crosfields A (Bolton back! just in time to play Bury!)
NWC 6 - Folly Lane A 32 v 16 Blackpool Scorpians A
NWC 6 - Irlam Hornets A 34 v 16 Little Hulton

so, first month review...

Eccles and Salford - first year back up, and struggling. Lost 4 from 4 but a first match defeat by 1 point to Ince Rose Bridge suggested things might be better. Being a promoted side was going to be tough - and it really is!

Folly Lane - take away last weeks result, and it was a good start. Sitting 3rd at that point, they now have two wins from four games and are comfortable in mid-table.

Irlam Hornets - fantastic start, top scorers in their return to Division 3 after promotion and four wins from four mean they are top of the table and the only team with a 100% win record. Early season pace-setters for back to back promotions...

Langworthy Reds - superb start for a club that has struggled for two years. Ubeaten for the first three - but lost at weekend. Really good start for the Reds who would hope to push on and stay close to the top all year.

Cadishead - two wins from four = mid-table and safe. The division has started strangely with some teams unable to field a side and the bizarre late inclusion of Thatto Heath A!

Eccles A - no wins and stuck at the bottom, aim has to be to play as many as possible and make sure they stick around.

Bury Broncos - super start for Bury. Lost just one, away to Eccleston who would have been one of the pre-season favourites. Currently sitting third and second top scorers in the division - desire will be to keep it going...

Bolton Mets - almost the opposite of Bury (who they play this weekend!). Lost the first three with one of them being a conceded game - but a strong win last week shows they could be back and ready to move up the table

Folly A - always tough to understand the bottom division! Two wins, a draw and a defeat - upper mid-table is where Folly are but as a strong club they could push on and get themselves a division higher.

Irlam A - tough start for a new team they have a full set of a win, a draw, and a defeat - so, a good start from which to build.

Little Hulton - if Irlam had it tough, Little Hulton as an entirely new club have yet to get a win with their two points coming from a conceded game. From my Bury experience (where we won just two games in year 1!) it is very hard getting going - but they just need to press on.

Despite it being Grand Final day, there was a full set of fixtures scheduled for this weekend....gutted for anyone having to travel to Cumbria!!!!

As a result, fixtures will be all over the place with some clubs moving games to other days, others moving kick off times, others maybe conceding if there is no alternative. So, if people know definate plans for any of the below, please post them...

Fixtures
NC1 - Eccles & Salford v Myton Warriors

NWC1 - Folly Lane v Bold Miners

NWC3 - Langworthy Reds v Leyland Warriors

NWC3 - Spring View v Irlam

NWC4 - Cadishead v Bamber Bridge

NWC4 - Rochdale Cobras - Eccles A

NWC5 - Bury Broncos v Bolton Mets
Urge anyone who fancies a full day of RL to come down to this derby game. Bolton battered us twice last year but Bury have had a really good start - add to that the fact that Bolton have started poorly but are bound to get their act together this week - it could a really tasty game.

12.30 kick off at Phillips High School, Whitefield - a few minutes walk from Whitefield met stop. After game drinks in Stand Cricket Club (with possibly a classic game of rugby league on the big screen) which is just two minutes away from the tram for people to get to OT. The club have about 30 going as part of our formal trip + others will hopefully be tagging along so will be a good laugh...and the beer is cheap in the cricket club.

NWC6 - Folly Lane A v Rochdale Cobras A

NWC6 - Ashton Bears A v Irlam A

NWC6 - Little Hulton v Accrington

I watched Blackpool V Langworthy two year ago in Div 3 - you could tell then that they were quality and could really move up the divisions - and with Stanley folding, i dare say they've added even more depth to the side.

Given the size of Folly as a club, they should be able to be competitive a few divsisons higher -it's just getting there with the crazy mix of teams you get at the bottom!

Couple of Derby games this weekend, both at Irlam don't know where the second team will play though with there only being one pitch at Irlam maybe they might have to switch the fixture to Folly?

Irlam V Langworthy in div 3

Irlam A v Folly A in div 6

Irlam A played their last home game at Eccles RUFC

Hope its the same for Saturday as I live right next to there, saves me trecking upto Swinton

Irlam Hornets A 4 - 34 Folly Lane A

A game in which we totally dominated in all honestly, full credit to Irlam who never stopped trying though

Stanley Rangers 28 Eccles 6
Folly 22 Albert Park 6
Higginshaw 4 Irlam 30
Ulverston 40 Langworthy 24
Cadishead 4 Rochdale Cobras 20
Eccles A 16 Thatto Heath A 16
Blackbrook A 32 Folly A 10
Fitton Hill 16 Little Hulton 10
Irlam A 6 Blackpool Scorpions 42

Good wins for Folly and Irlam and a decent effort from the rest. Its good to see that the 'A' teams are competing well at the moment and having good numbers.

Blackbrook A 32 Folly A 10

folly put in a brave performance against a strong blackbrook side. we took the lead and i think it was the 1st time this season they have conceded at home. the 1st 35 mins we really got stuck in but in the last 5 blackbrook scored 2 trys one was a mile forward but was good play to get into that position,

2nd half was very scappy with folly making a few mistakes which where followed by blackbrook trys each time,

all in all a good games and we have learnt alot agianst a quailty side.

Just a quick update on the Folly side of things.

After an indifferent start to the Season Folly Lane first team have won thier last two matches, last week was a hard fought 18-14 win at home to Thatto Heath which leaves the Lane mid table with a couple of games in hand.

Division One:
Clock Face Miners 8 7 1 0 250 86 15
Haydock 10 6 1 3 289 204 13
Roose Pioneers 9 5 2 2 200 178 12
Thatto Heath Crusaders 9 6 0 3 182 160 12
Golborne Parkside 8 5 1 2 174 150 11
Blackpool Scorpions 10 4 0 6 246 213 8
Folly Lane 7 4 0 3 146 185 8
Leigh Miners Welfare 10 3 1 6 171 222 7
Albert Park 8 3 0 5 122 144 6
Bold Miners 7 2 0 5 114 164 4
Leigh East 9 2 0 7 124 194 4
Oldham St Anne's 9 2 0 7 134 252

As for the second team, since the defeat to table topping Blackbrook we've played Widnes West Bank and threw away a 22-6 lead to draw 22-22, but we got back to winnings ways last week in a mud bath of a game against bottom of the league Fitton Hill. Currently lying fourth in the league, with an unbeaten home record we should defo be looking to push on for the second promotion spot because Blackbrook are just too strong at the moment.

Division 6:
Blackbrook A 9 9 0 0 388 61 18
Widnes West Bank A 10 8 1 1 311 144 17
Ashton Bears A 10 6 1 3 268 142 13
Folly Lane A 9 5 2 2 250 157 12
Leigh East A 9 5 0 4 191 223 10
Culcheth 10 3 4 3 220 258 10
Chester 10 4 1 5 282 240 9
Blackpool Scorpions A 9 4 1 4 236 204 9
Accrington Panthers 10 4 1 5 221 230 9
Halton Simms Cross A 9 4 0 5 208 188 8
Irlam Hornets A 9 3 1 5 140 234 7
Rochdale Cobras A 9 3 0 6 146 286 6
Little Hulton 9 1 0 8 76 234 2
Fitton Hill 10 1 0 9 90 426 2

Been manic, sorry not been doing updates!

Bury update is that we didn't get a win in October after our exceptional start winning 3 from 4 in September!!! We lost 3 on the bounce with one game not played. But, unbeaten in November after beating neighbours Westhoughton last weekend...we're still sitting confortable in 6th place and probably holding an open meeting next month about running junior sides in summer 2011 if anyone wants to get involved.

Thatto Heath 16 Folly Lane 28
Folly Lane A 14 Leigh East B 14

West Bank Bears 32 Cadishead Rhinos U10`s 8