Cheshire Independent Issue 216

JULY 2026 20 MACCLESFIELD RUFC’s 1stXVhavebeendemotedto the Regional 1 NorthWest. The club say they are ‘dis- appointed and angry’ with the decision made by the Rugby Football Union and National League Rugby. The team were initially allocated to the National League 2 West for the forthcoming season, despite explaining that this would be beyond the club’s means. Following an intense nego- tiation period with the NLR and RFU, as well as the 15 other National League 2 North teams, consensus has not been reached and therefore Macclesfield were relegated to the Regional 1 North West. Director of Rugby Matt Coleridge said: “We are massively frustrated by the actions of the NLR and RFU as being relegated for your performance and points tally is one thing, but for being allocated to a league in which it directly affects your ability to compete due to travel time and cost of travel is devastating. “I feel for the players, coaches, committee and fans as the years of work on an upward trajectory has been immediately undone for administrative reasons rather than on-field ones.” Macclesfield 1st XV finished third in the National League 2 North last season, narrowly missing out on a place in the promotion playoffs. Towards the end of the season, it became clear there was a chance the 1st XV could be allocated to play in the National League 2 West for the 2026-27 season. In June an initiative was proposed which would see the creation of a 16 club league, up from the standard number of 14 teams, with each side play- ing 26 games. The proposals were dis- cussed during a Zoom call with representatives from all 16 northern clubs, with the RFU insisting that all 16 clubs reach a unan- imous agreement. Unfortunately, no consensus was reached and imme- diately before the deadline, Maccles- field chairman Bob Cooke wrote to the RFU to explain that club would be declining allocation in the National League 2 West. “The principal reason for doing so is the high costs to the club of playing in that league that would put the club in danger of becoming financially unsustainable,” Mr Cooke said. “As a result Macclesfield have been obliged to accept relegation to Regional 1 North West. “This is a bitter pill for us as a club to swallow. After a highly successful season our reward is relegation, not because we failed on the field, but because we are in Cheshire and are geographically in the wrong place and were obliged to travel huge distances. “In fact, eight of the 13 away games would have been either in Bristol or further south. “We are massively frus- trated by the actions of the NLR and RFU as being rel- egated for your performance and points tally is one thing, but for being allocated to a league in which it directly affects your ability to compete due to travel time and cost of travel and accommodation is devastating. “This coming season will be an opportunity for the club to rebuild and renew and return to challenge for a return to the National Leagues in due course.” Independent LOCAL SPORT LOCAL CRICKET ROUND-UP TRIBUTES have poured in following the death of a Macclesfield-born For- mula One driver. Guy Edwards has passed away at the age of 83. The news was confirmed by fellow former racing driver, Derek Daly, who said: “Guy was mymanager in F1 and F2. The Guinness and ICI deals were because of Guy. Some of you will know that he suffered a devastating stroke many years ago and has lived in the west of Ireland ever since.” He received the Queens Gallantry Medal for pulling Niki Lauda from his burning Ferrari in 1976. Edwards was one of the first drivers to arrive at the scene when Lauda suffered a near-fatal crash, helping to pull the defending world champion from his burn- ing Ferrari. Between 1974 and 1977, Edwards participated in 17 Formula One World Cham- pionship Grand Prix events, starting 11 races. AS temperatures soared into the 30s, a host of batsmen made hay while the sun shone. Leading the way in the run- fest was Andrej Yaksender who made an astonishing double century for Cheshire County Cricket League Divi- sion One leaders Bollington. Yaksender smashed 21 fours and 13 sixes on his way to 224 as Bollington posted an imposing 346/1 at home to Macclesfield. His opening partner Richard Hough was also in the runs, hitting 112 in a first wicket stand of 300. There was another centu- rion in Macclesfield’s reply with Alex Thompson making 132 but his team went down by 64 runs. In the Premier Division Oxton openers Josh Brown (105) and Grant Hughes (93) put on a partnership of 172 in the drawn game with Cheadle. Oxton posted 312/7 as Cheadle replied with 263/9. Ashley Burton made 107 for Cheadle. Fred Vaughan-Hawkins hit 110 for Timperley in a losing cause against Hyde. George Balderson had impressive bowling figures of 5-18 as Timperley were all out for 198. Hyde skipper Andrew Jackson made 95 as his side won by 48 runs. Didsbury opened up a 20 points lead at the top of the table with a 116-run win at Neston. Didsbury were bowled out for 257 (Nick Anderson 67) but with James Green taking 6-36, Neston only managed 141. Nantwich drew level on points with second placed Hyde by beating Alder- ley Edge by 64 runs. Lin- dow had a four-wicket win at Bramhall. There was another big team score in Division One where Sale posted 347/6. Jonathan Davidson made 114 and Tyrone Lawrence weighed in with 78. In reply Urmston made 262/8, with Uzzair Shah top scoring with 81 in an 85-run defeat. Bowdon (263/8) had a 77-run victory over Stockport Georgians (186). Ashwin Sharma made 77 for Bowdon with Ben Duckworth hitting 81 in a losing cause. In Division 2 NE Cheshire beat Romiley by eight wick- ets and Cheadle Hulme had a narrow 10-run win over Oulton Park. Division Three leaders Ashton-on-Mersey had a three-wicket win over Mid- dlewich; Stockport won by the same margin over Hea- ton Mersey; Bredbury St Marks lost by two wickets at Warrington and Hale Barns were beaten by 77 runs at Winnington. Cheshire Cricket League Division One leaders Stock- port Trinity scraped home by just one run in a low scoring clash with Bunbury. Trinity were all out for 97 but Higgin- botham’s return of 4-27 saw Bunbury dismissed for 96. Northwich stay second bottom after going down by 92 runs at Langley. In reply to Langley’s 290, Northwich were all out for 198 despite JamieMcDougall making 97. The Division Two clash of the top two saw Holmes Chapel retain first place with a resounding eight- wicket win over Appleton. Paul Cudby ripped through the Appleton batsmen, fin- ishing with 6-18 in an all out total of 152. Mark Rebbeck top scored with an unbeaten 68 as Holmes Chapel cruised to 153/2. The clash of the two bot- tom teams in Division Three brought success for Glaze- bury who beat Winsford by 17 runs. North Staffs and South Cheshire Division One leaders Leycett continued their winning ways with a five-wicket success over Congleton. In a low scoring encounter Congleton were shot out for 89 while Leyc- ett posted 95/5 in reply. In Division Two there was a 31-run win for Wedgewood over Sandbach. AS the Silkmen returned to pre-season training, Assistant Manager Fran- cis Jeffers, has reviewed the first day back and the club’s hopes for the upcoming campaign. Jeffers was delighted with the condition of the players when they reported back after the summer break. He said: “The lads have come back in good nick, and I thought it was a really good first day back.” “It’s a bit different to when I came back as a player, the lads didn’t come in such good condition. They’re different players to the ones I played with, they’ve really looked after themselves and applied themselves unbelievably on the first day.” “Everything’s geared towards the first game, pre-season is important that you take care of your fitness and get yourself in to the best position to be in the starting eleven.” Playing down the impor- tance of the end results of the games coming up in a non-competitive nature, he added: “You don’t want to lose pre-season games, but winning isn’t the ultimate goal it’s about getting fit and staying fit.” Cons c ious o f the short-coming last season, Jeffers insisted: “Next sea- son we don’t want to come up short, last season the challenge was a bit different, but the expectation is to go one better” Recognising the now familiar challenge that lies ahead, he noted: “Its a really difficult league, the play- offs are a bit of a lottery. We know our aim is to get out of this league, we’ll need a bit of luck along the way, but those players are thinking the same as me. There’s a squad in there to take us to the next level.” Paying tribute to the fans he added: “I think we gave the fans a team to be proud of. That’s all most fans ask for and when they rock up in pre-season they’ll be behind us with the same expecta- tion as us. Without putting pressure on the lads, I expect us to be near the top. We’ve got to get the fans behind us with how we perform MACCLESFIELD FC have swooped to land flying winger JonUstabasi Ustabasi joins the Silkmen from winners of the 2025/26 Enterprise National League North, AFC Fylde. He played a pivotal role in the Coasters’ dominance of a division in which the Silkmen are preparing for a second season. The winger by trade has spent the last three seasons with Fylde, most recently recording 16 goals and five assists in 29 league appearances, including a brace against the Silkmen in our last meeting in February and one in the first clash back in November. Tributes to F1 ace YAKSENDER’S DOUBLE TON Anger as Macc are demoted Maccles!eld Assistant Manager Francis Je"ers looks ahead to the new season (Image: Maccles!eld Town) GREAT EXPECTATIONS! Silkmen aim to go one better Ustabasi wings in on a Saturday, you’re not going to get through a sea- son without blips but the fans have always been with us and that’s what’s always impressed me.”