DEESIDE Ramblers are sitting pretty at the top of National League Conference North at the halfway point of the campaign – and you would not bet against them securing a second successive promotion.
The Ramblers, who return to action at Leek on February 7, went into the winter break having won eight and drew one of their first 10 games.
Led by the goals of captain Ali Ghazanfar (23) and James Warburton (11), who is the division’s highest scorer from open play, the Tiverton outfit have made mincemeat of most of their opponents so far, only falling to third-placed Harbourne.
The club’s youngsters are adapting well to national league hockey with six products of the Gardenhurst Estate youth system now very much part of the first team set up.
It isn’t all about the first team, however.
Deeside’s second string are also setting the pace, by some eight points, in North West League Division Two.
Their biggest win of the campaign came against Alderley Edge 2nds when they won 10-2, but struggling rivals Chester 2nds posed a tougher test, pushing their table-topping neighbours all the way before going down 3-2.
The Ramblers’ third team are also going great guns and are level on points with City of Manchester 2nds at the top of Division Three.
The 2nds and 3rds return to action on January 16.
