WHITCHURCH Alport are hoping it will be third time lucky this Saturday after a second successive postpone-ment at the weekend. 

The Reds were due to travel to Lancashire for the first of a double-header against Bacup Borough, but the match was called off with the pitch at the Brian Boys West View Stadium waterlogged.

Brent Peters’s side are due to arrive at Yockings Park this weekend for a game sponsored by the Herald. The two sides have still to play each other – Saturday’s postponement was the second time the fixture had lost, after the original was called off back in November.

A friendly match on 3G was quickly arranged for the Alport squad as the enforced winter break continued, despite the arrival of March. 

Cheshire League Premier Division side Congleton Vale provided the opposition at a neutral venue as joint managers Luke Goddard and Carl Everall used the opportunity to test the team with a new formation, as well as giving the players essential game time.

It gave the few travelling supporters a good look at recent captures PJ Hudson and Sam Dodd, who both impressed. 

Alport were three up after half-an-hour with goals from Dodd, Stevie McNichol and skipper Simon Everall. 

However, a combination of several changes and a drop in tempo saw Congleton come back into the game as it ended 3-3. 

Ironically, it was Alport player Wes Nelson who scored the equaliser for Vale in the final 10 minutes, with the Cheshire side boosted by a couple of Reds’ players in their side to strengthen their numbers.

*For a full Whitchurch Alport round-up, see this week's Whitchurch Herald.