By Matt Lawton
December 9 2005

RMI make the short trip to Cheshire on Saturday afternoon to face old foes Northwich Victoria at their new stadium for the first time. After a couple of seasons in exile at Witton Albion, Northwich finally made their long-anticipated move to their new Victoria Stadium (must've took ages to think of that name) in time for this season.

During the Conference last year, Northwich looked almost as dead and buried as RMI were at the bottom of the table, but somehow Northwich managed to claw their way back to comfortably stay up with several games to spare. Whether this miraculous recovery involved the work of the Russian mafia is yet to be confirmed, although it's fair to say that Vics were in league with the rain gods of Cheshire, bombarding Witton with the wet stuff with RMI 2-1 up in January. We're staying up we thought. Or at least we did until the spoil-sport referee abandoned it. Was only a bit of water! The rest, as they say, is history - RMI went on to change managers for the umpteenth time and crumble, Vics stayed up, much to the delight of the gloating green trolls who infested our hallowed messageboard for a good while.

Or at least they had stayed up, until they broke Conference rules and didn't have their new ground wasn't ready in time. The new place is actually within spitting distance of previous lodgings Wincham Park, with both curiously situated in the middle of an industrial estate. Oh how we laughed as we dragged Vics down with us. He who laughs last and all that.

Seems that Vics are having a laugh this year though, as Andy Nelson's young charges stutter with a lack of confidence, Vics are riding high in the Conference North and aren't too far behind impressive leaders Stafford.

After exiting the Lancashire Challenge Cup on Tuesday night against Marine on penalties on Hilton Park (surely we should go through on the technicality that we are actually Lancastrians?) there is just the league to play for now, with all cup interest ended until next season.

The indications are that a fair few Leythers are making the trip tomorrow - get yer flags out and make yourself heard! The last local away trip saw a cracking atmosphere at Hyde that undoubtedly inspired the leads to get a 3-3 draw after being 3-1 down, you never know the same could happen tomorrow.

COME ON LEYTHERS!!