Where Warrington Rylands stand at halfway point of season

With them riding high in the table, hopes of continuing their charge through the leagues are definitely high.

Sports reporter Matt Turner puts together Blues' half-term report...

How things look at halfway

So far at least, Blues have taken to their new level like a duck to water as they ride a wave of momentum created by their memorable run to winning the FA Vase at Wembley earlier this year.

They sit second in the Northern Premier League West Division, well in contention for a third promotion in four Covid-affected years.

Their 19 league games have encompassed 12 wins, four draws and just three defeats.

The top of the NPL West Division table, courtesy of footballwebpages.co.uk

What they’ve done well

Score goals. Lots of them.

They are by far and away the leading scorers in the division having hit the net 51 times in their 19 games.

With teams around them having played as many as three games less, total goals may not be the truest indicator but even in terms of average goals, Blues are superior.

Rylands are averaging 2.68 goals per game at the moment – nobody in the division even comes close.

Warrington Rylands celebrate scoring against Newcastle Town on Saturday. Picture by John Hopkins

With the firepower at their disposal, they will feel confident of breaking down most defences if this form continues.

What will also please manager Dave McNabb is that there are goals coming from all over the pitch rather than mostly from the same sources.

Kane Drummond is their leading scorer with nine in all competitions, but defender Sam Egerton became the 19th different player to score for Blues this season by netting against Newcastle Town on Saturday.

When Blues do get in front as well, they tend to stay there – they are yet to lose a game in which they have scored first.

What they could do better

While the goals are flowing at the other end, it is fair to say Blues have not been the best at keeping them out.

They have conceded 25 goals in the league this season – the joint-most of any team in the top seven. Trafford in fifth have also let in 25 but have played one game more.

Blues have kept six league clean sheets this season – not a bad record, but they will want to do a better job of keeping the back door closed.

Goalkeeper Graeme McCall has kept six clean sheets in the league so far. Picture by John Hopkins

What the manager thinks

“I think we’re in a good place – we’re well within where we wanted to be,” boss Dave McNabb said.

“We said we wanted to try and sneak into the play-offs and we’re there or thereabouts at the minute.

“At halfway through, I think it’s a fair reflection of how we’ve performed on the whole, but we’ve got to try and keep pushing now.”

Blues manager Dave McNabb. Picture by Mark Percy

Player of the season so far

It is hard to look past Drummond, who is slowly becoming a more reliable source of goals, but midfielder Joe Coveney has perhaps been the team’s stand-out player.

A classy central player who dictates the tempo, the former Manchester City youngster has started to add more goals to his game.

He has five, including a hat-trick in the 7-2 home thrashing of Prescot Cables last month.

Coveney plays a vital role in McNabb’s side and will no doubt continue to do so in the coming months.

Joe Coveney has been a key player for Blues. Picture by Mark Percy

Aims for the rest of the season

As McNabb says, to keep pushing.

The manager opined a few weeks ago that league leaders Marine would be tough to catch and although the two-point gap does not look too imposing, it will do if the Crosby side win both of their games in hand.

Runcorn Linnets – the only side to beat Blues in the league since late-September – are also dangerously placed with three games in hand while Leek Town are on the brink of the play-offs with 13 of their remaining 19 fixtures to be played at home.

Blues visit Leek for their next game on Saturday and also still have Marine, Workington and Clitheroe to play away from home.

Regardless of anybody else’s situation, though, all McNabb’s men can do is to take care of themselves.

If they do that, they are good bets for a play-off berth.