Returning hero kickstarts Wrens' hunt for trophies

They won 2-0 at Millom thanks to a Kian Makepeace double.

The result moves them up to sixth in the Premier Division and above this weekend’s opponents. They have three or four games in hand over all teams above them.

“Kian’s a big player for us,” said Wright, who is joint boss alongside Steve McEwan.

"He’s been away in Thailand for three months travelling so it was his first game back and he delivered!

“It was good to have him back, he scored a great volley and a free kick at good points in the game.

“It was what you would call a professional away performance - we had full control of the game, clean sheet, a goal in each half.

“We should have really scored more in the first half, we had two or three clear-cut chances that would have made things even more comfortable, but our goalkeeper only made one save all game and that was in the first half.

“It was a good save and in the second half, we defended well and, in all three of our games so far this year, with the game plan, the conditions and the heavy pitches, we’ve set up in certain ways and the lads have delivered so far.”

Wren Rovers have also enjoyed 2-1 and 3-1 wins over Lostock St Gerards and Tempest United so far this season.

In his second full season in joint charge and tenth year involved with the club, Wright (pictured top left with McEwen, right, and Phil Dilworth, centre) says the team set out to be in the top three.

With the league as tight as it is, that remains a real possibility.

“I think we were looking at trying to push on and improve,” said Wright. "It was mooted by us behind the scenes that we were aiming for a top three finish and to win a cup.

“We got beaten on penalties in the Richardson Cup final [to Rossendale] last season so we’re hoping to go one better, we play against Astley & Buckshaw in the last 16 so we’re looking forward to that.

“The cup competitions are just as important as the league because there’s only three things you can win each season - the league, the Richardson Cup and the Lancashire Amateur Shield.

“We’d love to win the league and we’re working towards that with a young squad and an average age of 21 or 22. We’re hopefully not too far off.”

Blackpool Wren Rovers are one of several sides playing catch up after a disruptive winter and will be wanting to make the most of those outstanding fixtures.

“[The games in hand] could put us in a strong position really, we’ll definitely be in amongst that top three if we put points on the board.

“With our form at the moment, we’d be confident of getting in there if we continue to play like we have at the start of 2026.”

The club are going along well off the pitch too with a strong junior setup in place, success away from the firsts and a couple of renovations in recent months.

“We have 10 junior teams and they’re relatively new in existence. The junior chairman is Mark Faber, who used to be first team manager at Wrens.

“We also have the under 18s who are in the North West Youth Alliance. It’s only three or four years old but we’ve had over 30 lads progress into our reserves and firsts from the under 18s.

“That pathway is clear, the under 18s into the reserves who won Reserve Division One last year with a lot of young, talented players and they could do it again this season.

“A lot of them have progressed into the first team.

“There’s a good culture at Wrens, there always has been, in terms of having good people at the club, people enjoy playing their football here and even those who leave to go and play at higher levels, speak fondly of us and will always come back when the time is right.

“We did up our changing rooms in the summer, we’ve got our new home changing room which myself and a couple of the players and a couple of others did, like Geoff Barnsley, our goalkeeping coach and Alan Grieve - people who’ve been here a long time.

“The bottom line of it is we’re just trying to improve all the time.”

Elsewhere in the Premier Division, Rossendale defeated Whitehaven 3-0 thanks to two goals from Scott Wylie and Ishmail Usman’s finish just before full time.

Milnthorpe Corinthians, on the lookout for a new manager, got a late equaliser at CMB in a 1-1 draw. Zach Clark got the leveller after Dan Crook opened the scoring from the penalty spot.

There was only one Division One game that went ahead due to the cold and wet weather over Friday night, but it was an enjoyable one for Kendal County who won 5-1 versus Lytham Town.

Cassons Lewis and Matty sent County into an early 2-0 lead before Jimmy McPhee got one back, however the two-goal advantage was restored on the stroke of half time by Aaron McMinn.

Ryan Close and Connor Walmsley then added their side’s fourth and fifth before an hour had even been played.

In Division Two, there was also just the one game but it had goals aplenty as Storeys of Lancaster defeated Galgate 7-3 in a local meeting.

Both sides had hat-trick stars as Joe Wareing got three before the break for Storeys, and Oliver Jordan scored all of Galgate’s goals in the second half, the first coming mere seconds after the restart.

Josh Cunningham, Bailey Backhouse, Liam Jackson and Reece Pearce were also on the scoresheet for Storeys.

In Reserve Division Two, Fulwood Amateurs A cruised to a comprehensive 8-2 win at Croston Sports Reserves with two players scoring four goals!

Finley Clarke and Ryan Dodd no doubt enjoyed all the plaudits in the away dressing room.

Hurst Green Reserves eased past Pause United Reserves 3-0 thanks to goals from Gary Knight, Daniel Mort and Dan Simpson.

In the only Stewart Rowe Memorial Cup game of the day, Haslingden St Mary’s Reserves won 3-1 away to Turton Reserves in the first round.

Charlie Howard, Keenan Webb and Tom Brierley got the goals for Haslingden, while Turton’s strike came from Ethan Hall’s penalty kick.

In the quarter finals of the Lancashire Amateur Cup, Lostock St Gerards Reserves progressed past a fellow West Lancs League side in a 4-1 win over Bamber Bridge Reserves, while Blackpool Wren Rovers Reserves bowed out after a 1-0 loss to Chaddertonians.

MAIN IMAGE: Adam Gee Photography