MIDDLEWICH Town’s players have set themselves on a course for promotion following one of their best performances of the season.

That’s the verdict of co-manager Michael Welch after watching the Witches recover from 2-0 down to beat Cheshire League One leaders Egerton last weekend.

It mirrored what the Knutsford outfit had done to them seven days earlier.

“I’m not sure I’ve seen us play better during my time here,” said Welch.

“We had to be at our best because of the quality of our opponents, but we defended magnificently as a team and were excellent when we went forward.

“To come back in the way we did shows a lot of character.

“My challenge now to these lads during the games we have left is to play to that standard.

“If they do, that should be good enough to get back into the Premier Division.”

Town are due to host Cheadle Town reserves at Seddon Street on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.

They won the return 4-0 back in August, and host an opponent that occupies a place in the table’s bottom two.

Middlewich start the weekend 11 points off top spot.

Welch said: “We need to take confidence from the result at Egerton, but it’s important to remember as well what helped us to achieve it.

“We’re in the position we are now due to hard work on and off the pitch.

“As a club our aim has always been promotion and to get there we need to work harder than ever.”

However he had a warning too for a side that have lost half of their league games on home turf this season.

That sequence includes four of the past five.

“We were punished when Egerton came here the previous week for having a 20-minute lapse,” added Welch.

“The lads continued to graft despite a similar setback last Saturday, and got a reward.

“We need to see it again though."