FINGERS will be crossed across town that football matches get to be played on Saturday.

The past two weekends have been washouts and fixtures are starting to pile up.

North West Counties League leaders 1874 Northwich are already looking at the prospect of 15 games in 57 days from Saturday, with limited slots left in between for any further postponements.

They last played on Monday, February 17, when they won 4-0 at Maine Road in the quarter finals of the Macron Cup - a game which had been delayed two days because of wet weather.

Although 1874, who are home to Whitchurch Alport on Saturday, 3pm, and then Longridge Town on Tuesday, 7.45pm, were not in action at the weekend, their semi-final opponents were.

Shelley's 3-2 win against Ellesmere Rangers in the quarter finals mean they will be home to holders 1874 in the first leg of the semis on Saturday, March 28, and then head to Townfield for the return seven days later.

A new date of Tuesday, March 17, is now arranged for the home meeting with Burscough, which was postponed last Saturday.

And the Mid-Cheshire District FA Senior Cup semi-final clash with neighbours Witton Albion is now set for Tuesday, March 10.

Meanwhile, Witton could have debutants in their ranks when they host Basford in the BetVictor Northern Premier League on Saturday.

Ex-Rochdale and Carlisle forward Jason Hooper and ex-Everton and Cardiff City defender Tyrone Duffus were on board in time for last Saturday's visit to Stalybridge Celtic, but the game was lost to a waterlogged pitch – as was the previous week's trip to Matlock Town.

New dates are now in place for those fixtures.

Albion will try again at Stalybridge on Tuesday, March 24, and the trip to Matlock is now set for Wednesday, April 15.

Northwich Victoria's match away to Bootle in the North West Counties League Premier Division was called off for a fourth time on Tuesday.

They had previously tried to get the game played on October 26, December 3 and January 14, and a new date is yet to be announced.

For Vics, it was the third scheduled fixture in a row to fall victim to the consistently wet weather.

Their visit to Whitchurch Alport on February 15 and home clash with Winsford United on Saturday didn't go ahead.

In total, 13 Vics games have now been postponed this season.

Steve Wilkes' side, whose last outing was the 3-3 home draw with league leaders 1874 Northwich on February 12, are due to visit Irlam on Saturday, kick-off 3pm, and then Barnoldswick Town on Tuesday, 7.45pm.