Match Preview

This weekend we return to Rivacre Road to host Leigh after our encouraging visit to table topping Glossop.

As recently as the 2016-17 season, Leigh were in North One West, but at the end of that season they, with Eccles, were relegated to Lancashire/Cheshire 1. It was, of course, against Leigh that Anselmians had to win to fend off a resurgent Glossop to secure a play-off spot against Aspatria in our penultimate game of 2017-18.

On that occasion we triumphed at Round Ash Park 24-35 to complete the double, having won at Malone Field 42-12.

As we struggled unsuccessfully last term in North One West, Leigh were rebuilding in Lancashire/Cheshire 1 and were eventually a respectable seventh, qualifying them for the newly created North Two West division.

This weekend's game promises to be close with Leigh and ourselves respectively 4th and 6th. Leigh have had only one loss and that was on the first game of the season at Rochdale. That reversal has been followed by four wins, most recently at home to Aspatria last week where they won 32-18. They have also the league's only draw thus far at Southport, 20-20.

Saints will have worked hard this week to erase the errors of last Saturday and will be have to at their best to overcome their Lancastrian rivals.