UPTON AA and Newton Athletic both return to league action this weekend after contrasting results in the quarter finals of the Cheshire County Amateur Cup.

Following last week’s 4-2 quarter final victory over Altrincham Reserves, Todd Reid’s West Cheshire League side, Upton, host Maghull in a crucial Division One clash.

Just one point now separates the two teams in the league, but three points could see the Amateur Cup semi-finalists move up to as high as seventh in the standings with games in hand.

Defeat, though, would see Maghull leapfrog Upton in the table and could see Reid’s side slip down to 13th depending on other results.

Speaking ahead of the game, the Upton AA boss said: “We’ve got some big games coming up in the league before our Pyke Cup quarter final at the end of the month.

“Now, we want to start climbing back up the table. We have games in hand, but we still need to win those, and that isn’t straightforward.

“It will be nice to start focusing back on the league, but it’ll be a difficult game because Maghull are a good, tough team.”

Sean Finch, Alex Smith and Luke Finch have all been ruled out of Saturday’s game, but Reid will still be able to call upon Lee Guirado, Nathan Maplecroft, Will Kent and Joseph Ormrod who have 41 goals between them in all competitions so far this season.

Elsewhere in the league, Chester Nomads return for their first game in more than a month when they visit a struggling Neston Nomads who find themselves bottom of the league.

A win for Chester against a Neston side who have shipped 65 goals already this season could see them move up to second in the table.

Meanwhile, in Division Three of the West Cheshire League, Chester Nomads Reserves welcome third placed Bootle Reserve as they look to bounce back from last week’s 4-0 reverse against Poulton Vics.

Blacon Youth Club will also be looking for a better result as they host fourth placed Altrincham Reserves in the Premier Division of the Cheshire Football League after they lost 1-0 to the league leaders Congleton VR last time out.

Blacon have a number of games in hand on the other teams in the league, and a win against Altrincham could move them up to eighth and even closer to the pack of teams above.

For League Two side, Newton Athletic, it is back to reality now after their Cheshire Amateur Cup adventure was ended in the quarter finals last week by Heswall.

Their run to the last eight was the furthest Newton Athletic had ever gone in a cup competition before, but boss Paul Owens says the team must now put it behind them.

Third place Newton Athletic visit a Partington Village side who sit second in the table, with both team’s level on 19 points, although Partington boast the league’s best attack (scoring 36) and defence (conceding seven).

About their upcoming opponents, Newton boss Paul Owens said: “It’s going to be tough against Partington Village who are the league’s highest scorers and level on points with us.

“But we’re in a good position, and after going out of the cup we can put everything back into the league and start chipping away at the games in hand that we have.”