Central head into fourth pre-season fixture with Sale Amateurs

Manchester Central will be back in action on Saturday afternoon against newly promoted Sale Amateurs in the search for more progress ahead of the new season.

The Division One side were unable to continue their unbeaten run-in pre-season last time out against Cheshire League Premier Division side, Poynton FC, who edged past Central by a goal to nil at Seashell Trust.

It was ultimately a penalty that decided the match, but more importantly another important 90 minutes for Chris Tomkinson’s side, as the Central boss continues to look for his best eleven and system ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Central will now turn their attention to a side who will play in the topflight of the Lancashire and Cheshire Football League this season, after narrowly missing out on the Division One title by three points last season to eventual champions Chadderton Park Sports Club.

Sale Amateurs will provide another challenge for Central who have so far played a range of different tests from various leagues, but these preparations for the 2023/24 season will prove to be a fruitful pre-season if they wish to improve on the disappointing year they had in Division One of the Manchester Football League.

The visitors can be proud of an outstanding season in 2022/23, boasting both the best scoring record and goal difference in the division, but it was Chadderton Park’s superior defensive record that edged them the league title.

A ruthless 87 goals last season in Division One of their respective league was 16 more than the next best scoring side, whilst Sale were able to score more than five times in a game on nine different occasions from their 22 fixtures.

Centrals upcoming opponents had several individuals who chipped in with goals across the campaign. James Green and Michael Schofield both netted eight times, with Reece Thompson grabbing nine goals. It was Kazim-Waite Jackson who really stole the headlines for Sale, racking up a ruthless record of 36 goals in just 20 appearances, who will also be sure to cause Central’s backline a few problems on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sale were still a solid defensive unit despite their deficiency to Chadderton Park. The runners up had the joint second-best defensive record, conceding 35 times alongside third-placed side Bedians AFC.

As for Central, Tomkinson will be looking to incorporate more of the newer additions into the side, who have added a renewed sense of energy and freshness to the club.

Thi-Reece Lenihan and Scott Anderson have proved to be good additions to the club after their introductions at the tail end of the last season. Anderson a versatile and creative player also paired with the tenacity and fight associated with Central, whilst Lenihan has shown to be a driving force from attacking midfield, with his quality on full show in the final two games last season.

Jurgen Sade has been a welcome introduction from the beginning of pre-season, showing confidence and a clinical nature in front of goal, and the forward could prove to be a perfect fit to lead the line in the new season.

The fixture against Sale Amateurs will provide yet another opportunity for these new additions to prove their worth to Tomkinson, whilst giving his side another important run out to optimise match sharpness and fitness levels.

This will be Central’s penultimate home fixture in pre-season before they welcome Manchester Gregs the following weekend, which will then be followed by the final pre-season game against familiar opponents Cavaliers FC at a neutral venue on August 5th.

Kick Off is at 13:30pm at Seashell Trust on Saturday 22nd July.