Bowdon Hightown or Man Utd - no contest

By Gerard Meagher

FORGET Manchester United, Bowdon Hightown assistant coach Roger Newcombe believes his side's quest for four trophies and a perfect season would be the ultimate sporting achievement.

A 14th successive league victory for Bowdon put the finishing touches to their Premier Division victory last weekend, with a comfortable 3-0 win over Clifton, courtesy of a Jo Ellis hat-trick.

It's the earliest the women's Premier Division has ever been won and is Bowdon's second piece of silverware this season, having claimed the national indoor crown in January.

Just 7.4 miles down the road, Sir Alex Ferguson is plotting an unprecedented assault on five football trophies, with two also already secured.

But with Bowdon just four wins away from a perfect season cataloguing 18 wins from 18 matches, Newcombe is in no doubt as to who the true record-breakers are.

"Obviously we have to try and keep our feet on the ground as much as possible and take one game at a time but what we're on the verge of achieving is truly unique," he said.

"We have to pinch ourselves sometimes to really bring home position we're in. But in a way the hard work is only really starting now.

"We're still in the cup and have a very important clash with Barnes Hounslow Ealing in the semi finals and then at Easter we beginning our European challenge.

"We've already started planning mentally for that. It'll be four games in four days so it'll be both physically and mentally draining but we can obviously go there full of confidence."

Last weekend's victory left Bowdon on tender hooks for approximately an hour in the Altrincham-based clubhouse, awaiting news from the Leicester versus Olton and West Warwicks match.

But as the full-time whistle blew at Leicester Grammar School with the score at one-all, celebrations broke out back at Bowdon.

"It was an extremely bizarre situation to be in because everyone was sat around waiting for the score from Leicester," added Newcombe.

"But there is no doubting this group of players thoroughly deserve it. Last season we had 12 or 13 really good players but then there was a lack of depth.

"Now it's the case that I'll look around on the bench and see really good players all the way across it.

"And even then there are a few behind those who have the talent to succeed in this league.

"There's no doubt that head coach Tina Cullen has done a fantastic good here. She has instilled a really good team ethic and that is paying dividends this time around."