by Peter Scherer
It’s NPL league action on Saturday, when 14th in the table Warrington Rylands visit the Don Amott Arena.
Mickleover will be hoping to add to the form which has left them with four points from the last six, having added both Michael Hollingsworth and Amarn Robinson to the squad since our home win over Basford on January 7th.
Manager Neil Reynolds has been in charge at Rylands since September, having previously managed FC United of Manchester for six years and Bamber Bridge.
They have the privilege of fielding an unchanged side for the last five games and have drawn five of their last 10 games. Their last win was at home to Hyde Utd on Boxing Day, but have been undefeated since losing 0-1 to Ilkeston at the end of November.
Back in early October Sports visited Warrington and came home with a 2-2 draw with goals from Stuart Beavon and Andy Dales.
Goalkeeper Luke Pilling has played for Wales at Under 17,19,20 and 21 and arrived from Telford in January 2023. He started out at Tranmere, who loaned him to Ashton Utd, before going to Notts County on his release. His next stop was Stafford Rangers, before spending a year at Telford.
Centre back and captain James Neild started off at Curzon Ashton, before moving on to Hyde Utd and New Mills. He came to Rylands in January 2022, after 16 months at Trafford.
Fellow centre back Matty Regan played for England at Under 16,17& 18 levels. A former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest youngster, he joined Tamworth on his release, who loaned him to Hednesford and Worcester City before he moved on to Stalybridge.
Next stop was Curzon Ashton, followed by Ashton Utd, Farsley Celtic and Warrington. He then spent another year at Ashton Utd, before joining our visitors at the start of last season.
Left back Dylan Dwyer was a pre-season signing, following his release from Wigan Athletic. He also played for Fleetwood, The New Saints and Tranmere, before joining Wigan in August 2022.
Clive Smith is a right back capped at under 17 & 19 levels for Wales. He started at Preston North, who loaned him to St.Johnstone, before a permanent move to Southport. Droylsden, Atherton and FC United followed, before he returned to Atherton in September 2022. He has been with our visitors since July 2023.
Right back James Baillie played his junior football at Crewe Alexandra, who loaned him to Nantwich, before joining Curzon Ashton. He has played for Warrington too and joined Rylands at the start of last season from Ashton Utd.
Dean Furman has 55 caps for South Africa under his belt. A central midfielder, he started at Radlett before joining Chelsea. He was loaned to Glasgow Rangers, Bradford City, Oldham Athletic and Doncaster Rovers, before going back to South Africa with SuperSport Utd
After returning to the UK with Carlisle, he was at Altrincham, before joining Rylands in August 2022 and has well over 400 senior games under his belt.
Ben Hough is another central midfielder. He started at Oldham Athletic and played for Warrington and Ashton too, before joining our visitors in July 2023.
Striker Ntumba Masanka was a pre-season arrival. He played junior football with both Manchester United and City, before a move to Burnley. Loans at York City, Morecambe, Wrexham, Dover Athletic and RWD Molenbeek in Belgium followed, before going to Chorley following his release.
He then moved to ASD Angelana in Italy, before joining South Shields on his UK return. He had more loans at Stalybridge, Boston Utd and Stafford, before he signed for Macclesfield. Six months with Digenis Akritas Morfou in Cyprus followed, before ending last season back at Stalybridge.
Midfielder Ben Hardcastle signed from Atherton Collieries in summer of 2023. He originally joined Colls in 2014 from neighbours Atherton LR before going Ashton United in December 2019.
Harrison Hopper is a central midfielder, who played his junior football at Leeds United and Barnsley. He then moved on to Rochdale and was loaned out to Colne, before joining York City following his release. His next stop was Bradford Park Avenue, from where he joined Rylands in October.
Right back Scott Holding arrived in October too from Macclesfield. A former Manchester Utd and Stockport County Academy player, he moved to Watford in July 2022. After loans at Stalybridge and Dover Athletic, he started this season at Macclesfield, but moved to Rylands after another loan spell at Wythenshawe.
George Waring is a striker that started out at Everton. He then spent four years with Stoke City, who loaned him to Barnsley, Oxford Utd, Shrewsbury and Carlisle Utd, before he joined Tranmere Rovers following his release. Further loans at Halifax and Kidderminster followed, before a permanent move to Chester. Curzon Ashton was his next stop, but after initial loan with our visitors, he made his stay permanent in November.
Jake Burton is another striker, signed at the start of this season from Chester. He started at Tranmere, who loaned him to Stalybridge and Marine, before moving to Chester in July 2023. After loans back at Marine and Bootle, he made his move to Rylands.
Former Bolton Wanderers Junior left back Cole Lonsdale was another October signing from Nantwich. He started out with Bolton Wanderers and joined FC United when he was released. After spells at Workington and Clitheroe, he joined Ashton Utd, who loaned him to Stalybridge. He moved to Nantwich at the start of this season.
Left winger Jake Daniels is on loan from Blackpool. He has also been loaned out to Bamber Bridge and Bradford Park Avenue.
Alex Kiwomya is a winger capped by England at Under16,17,18 and 19 levels. Chelsea signed him from Rotherham in 2015 and loaned him to Barnsley, Fleetwood and Crewe Alexandra, where he played 39 games in Leagues One and Two scoring seven goals.
He joined Doncaster Rovers after his release, and was loaned to Chesterfield and Chorley, before making his Chesterfield move permanent after a trial with Fatih Karagumruk in Turkey. After a spell at Kings Lynn he went to Gibraltar with Bruno’s Magpies, but returned to the UK with Macclesfield and played for Stafford Rangers, Stalybridge and Farsley Celtic before joining Rylands in October.
Scott Bakkor is a well-travelled striker, after starting out at Skelmersdale. Colwyn Bay, Warrington, Curzon Ashton, Marine, Witton Albion and Stalybrdge were all on his CV before he first joined our visitors in February 2022.
After spells at Atherton Collieries and Guiseley he returned in July 2023, but soon moved on again to St.Albans City and Western Suburbs in Australia and returned to Rylands once more in November.
Fellow striker Jack Hindle is well-travelled too. He arrived from Werribee City in Australia, after starting his career at Radcliffe. After a spell at Colwyn Bay he spent three years at Barrow, including loans at Gateshead and South Shields. Kelantan in Malaysia was his next port of call.
After a year away he made his UK return with Matlock and returned to Radcliffe and Flint Town before coming to Rylands in March 2023. Peninsula Power in Australia were next, before a spell in Italy with Gioiese and his latest stint back in Australia.
Midfielder Ashley Leather made his debut in November, having signed from Alsager Town. He was previously dual registered with Stalybidge Celtic.
Also debutants in their recent Liverpool Senior Cup win over South Liverpool, Charlie Martin, defender Joshua Davies and Blackpool loanee striker Taylor Bowen made their debuts. Bowen previously had a loan at Runcorn Linnets.
Kick off is 3pm, with the usual refreshments facilities available.