ALL of the festive games in the Manchester Football League were postponed – even those who were scheduled to play on artificial pitches.

It meant a two-week break for our local clubs to reflect on the first half of the season and generally it is a positive look to the New Year for our top teams.

Wythenshawe Amateurs currently top the Premier Division, three points clear with a game in hand over their main rivals.

Ammies manager Ray Mallalieu is confident that his team can maintain the momentum as he looks forward to the return of his top strikers after long-term injuries suffered in the early part of the season.

He said: "There are no easy games in this division and there are surprise results every week making it a very entertaining season so far.

"We lost Paul Alves and Adam Walker with nasty injuries but they both look set to return to action in the second half of the season.

"We have had to draft in some young players from our lower teams and it has been gratifying to see how well they have done and helped us to retain the top spot – we concentrate hard on fitness in the team and this has paid off with many of our games being won in the latter stages."

Last season, Manchester Gregorians were celebrating after a Lancashire Shield and Premier Division double.

However, they lost several key players in the close season who decided to try their luck higher up the football ladder.

Their loss was critical as Gregs stumbled through the bulk of the first part of the season to see themselves entrenched at the foot of the table.

Manager Bobby Brown and his team have kept faith with their new charges and recent results have seen them climb six places up the table and looking forward to a top-half finish.

In division one, West Didsbury and Chorlton have made no secret of their ambition to climb into the Premier Division.

Currently they trail leaders Bury Amateurs by eight points and lie in fourth slot, two points behind second-placed Wythenshawe Town with three games in hand and are level on points with Monton who have a better goal difference in third place.