Vauxhall Motors are likely to start their 2020/21 North West Counties League promotion push on the first Saturday in October.

The league’s management committee have stated this date for some time, but it now looks increasingly likely to be confirmed, with a plan to stage the outstanding cup ties from last season’s curtailed programme over the last couple of weeks of September.

Mick McGraa’s squad began training for the new campaign at the end of June - over three months before the likely first league fixture.

The Motormen went down 2-0 away to NPL outfit Runcorn Linnets at the weekend, missing both their key central defenders.

Despite the hosts being two divisions higher than Motors, the performance by the visitors left a lot to be desired.

Vauxhall looked out of sorts at the back for much of the first half, in which the hosts scored both goals.

But even after major changes to personnel at half time, Motors failed to threaten the home goal and looked strangely out of sorts.

New signings Simon Thelwell and Shaun Weaver both looked lively but ultimately had little baring on the outcome.

Mick McGraa’s side are hoping to arrange another friendly for this coming Saturday, as they continue their build up.