MIDDLEWICH Town will be kept busy during August.

The Witches are scheduled to play more than half-a-dozen Cheshire League fixtures, according to a fixture list published by officials this week.

It starts with a home date against Lostock Gralam on Wednesday, August 9, kick off 6.45pm.

They Grey Lambs will host the return fixture at the end of the month.

In between, the side managed by John O’Sullivan, Ross Speight and Michael Welch will host Daten, Deva Athletic and Styal.

There are trips too to Cheadle reserves and Mersey Valley.

Town’s target is to avoid a slow start that made progress difficult last season, when they won only one League One game before October.

They went on to finish eighth.

A demanding pre-season scheduled continued last night, Thursday, when they edged neighbours Winsford United.

Nathan Devaney scored the only goal, steering in from close range a cross from the left.

Sam Wakefield’s rising drive also struck a post in the first half.

Blues improved in the second period, and went closest to an equaliser when Ryan Steele’s strike from distance fizzed narrowly wide.

Joe Duckworth also prompted a fine save from the home team’s goalkeeper.

Here is Middlewich Town’s Cheshire League fixture list for August in full:

August

09 Lostock Gralam (h) (ko 6.45pm)

12 Cheadle Town res (a) (ko 3pm)

16 Daten (h) (ko 6.45pm)

19 Mersey Valley (a) (ko 3pm)

23 Deva Athletic (h) (ko 6.30pm)

26 Styal (h) (ko 3pm)

29 Lostock Gralam (a) (ko 6.30pm)