After a fragmented start to 2023 Valley finally return to action on Saturday (11 Feb) when the host perennial opponents Burnage 3rd XV at Hope Sports Club in a game sponsored by Cafeology (ko 1415hrs).

The last time Burnage visited the Valley the home team ran out comfortable 40-7 winners in a season that saw both teams promoted from Division 4 East, but both teams have found the going tough in the higher division, currently lying 6th and 10th in the league.

Burnage started the season with an impressive win over Lymm RFC being one of their five wins to date, but, like Valley, they have occasionally struggled, conceding three games to place them on the brink of exclusion so there is all to play for in this "double header" fixture.

Valley are still hampered by a lengthy injury/unavailability list with flanker Jae Rodgers still a few weeks away from fitness whilst scrum half Steve Rawson is set to miss his first game of the season. However these are offset by prop Kyle Boot's first appearance of the year while Joe Scouler also returns from a lengthy absence (I wonder if his shorts will have shrunk again?)

Meetings between the two clubs are usually high scoring, entertaining affairs so it'd be great to see a decent turn out to support the lads in their quest for Division 3 survival.