Match Preview

This Saturday we visit Burnage in Heaton Mersey for our first away game in North One West.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Burnage was a regular and enjoyable fixture twice a season but, since the advent of the leagues, we have not played the Varley Park outfit for over ten years.

Their rise through the leagues is impressive. We last played in the 2007-2008 season in the old Euromanx South Lancashire/Cheshire 1 when we lost away 12-32 and lost the return fixture at Eastham, 10-23, in January 2008. The previous season, 2006-2007, we, again, lost home and away 5-51 and 8-29 respectively.

We were relegated to South Lancashire/Cheshire 2 in 2009 the same season as Burnage were being promoted to North One West. We returned to South Lancashire/Cheshire 1 immediately and, two years later, whilst we were promoted to North One West, they went one better, being promoted to National League North. They spent four years there before returning to North One West in 2016.
Last season, Burnage were a comfortable sixth in North One West and, last week, narrowly lost their opening game at newly promoted Broughton Park, 18-13.

Anselmians expect a close fought contest, but will better for the experience against Northwich last Saturday. Coach McKinney and his players will work hard to eradicate the errors that lost the game last week. It promises to be an intriguing contest.