MIDDLEWICH Town have ended the Cheshire League One season in third place.

Victory at Maine Road reserves at the weekend ensured finishing behind champions Congleton Vale and also promoted Malpas, who visited the Witches last night, Tuesday.

Saturday's success took Town's sequence for the second half of the season to eight league wins in 10 outings.

Maine Road Reserves 2 Middlewich Town 3

A DEPLETED Middlewich Town survived a nervy finish to seal third place in the Cheshire League One standings.

They led 3-0 inside 48 minutes courtesy of two strikes from Mike Evans and another from James Smith.

Then after conceding twice, they succeeded in limiting the home side's chances to one further decent opportunity but the ball was blasted over the bar.

Town went ahead on eight minutes when Joe O’Sullivan chipped the ball to Evans, who beat the keeper in similar style.

Stand-in Witches keeper Jack Bryning produced a double save, tipping one shot on to the post and the rebound over the bar before Town doubled their lead on 29 minutes.

Evans lobbed the keeper from outside the box after a defender's header from Bryning's long kick lacked the necessary steam.

It only took three minutes of the second half for Middlewich to grab their third.

Another route one kick from Bryning was flicked on by Goryl and James Smith took one touch before smashing the ball home from the edge of the area.

A suspicion of offside was not given as Maine Road gained a lifeline from a free kick in the 56th minute.

Middlewich seemed unsettled as Maine Road grabbed a second six minutes later when stranded Bryning was lobbed from 20 yards.

Town used their experience to protect the ball and see out the win.

n Middlewich bowed out of the JA Walton Challenge Cup at the quarter-finals stage last Wednesday following a 5-3 defeat at Altrincham reserves. The teams had been tied at 3-3 after 90 minutes. James Smith, twice, and Chris Lunn were on target for Town.