UPTON AA go to struggling Rainhill Town on Saturday looking for all three points as an early Christmas present in their final scheduled game of the year.

A victory will see Todd Reid’s side re-join the group of teams who are fighting for top spots in Division One of the West Cheshire League having played less games than each of them.

Just three points currently separate Marshalls (18) in second and Capenhurst Villa (15) in sixth, with another five sides – including Upton AA - locked just behind on 12 points.

Upton, though, have a number of games in hand on all of the teams in the league following their recent cup runs and fixture postponements – including last week’s planned game against Ashville.

Ahead of the match, Reid said: “Going to Rainhill won’t be easy because they’ve picked up some very good results recently against top sides like Redgate Rovers and Mossley Hill.

“But we’re full of confidence too after our cup win against Crossway and with our game with Ashville getting postponed we’ve had a week off to prepare and we’ll be fresh for a game that will likely be in bad conditions.”

Chester Nomads are also among that group of tightly packed teams, but they can move up to second place with three points at Ellesmere Port Town.

With the top two sides out of action, a win could see the Nomads leapfrog Marshalls and go to within two points of top of the table South Liverpool, albeit having played two games more.

Ellesmere Port Town have only lost twice so far this year, though, and a win of their own would see them go ahead of the Nomads on goal difference and potentially up to second depending on the outcome of Mossley Hill Athletic’s clash with Maghull.

However, Ellesmere Port Town go into Saturday’s contest with Chester Nomads on the back of last week’s defeat to Capenhurst Villa, while the Nomads have struggled of late with just one outright win in their last four games in all competitions.

Chester Nomads Reserves have fared little better in Division Three as just three wins in 16 league games leave them in 14th place.

But after an improved run of form which has seen them claim two wins and a draw in their last six outings, the Nomads Reserves now face a crucial fixture against Heswall Reserves who sit one place and two points behind them in the table having played five games less.

They travel to Chester full of confidence after last week’s impressive 5-2 away victory at fifth placed Rainford United, while the Nomads Reserves most recently lost out 2-0 to West Kirby Reserves.

Other weekend fixtures in the West Cheshire League Division One: Ashville v Redgate Rovers; Mossley Hill Athletic v Maghull; Vauxhall Motors Reserves v Neston Nomads.

Other fixtures in Division Three of the West Cheshire League: FC Bootle St Edmunds v Aintree Villa Reserves; Helsby v Pensby; Marine Reserves v West Kirby Reserves; Marshalls Reserves v Bootle Reserves; Neston Nomads Reserves v Capenhurst Villa Reserves; Poulton Victoria v Rainford United; Willaston v Ellesmere Port Town Reserves.