Raceview are enjoying an excellent season and for the first time in a number of years, look genuinely equipped to challenge for the Michelin Athletic Club-sponsored championship.

Clough Rangers Athletic have enjoyed a decent first half of the campaign under the stewardship of Alan Boyd, although their record suggests that they still lack consistency.

At the wrong end of the table, 2010 can only get better for Michael Larkin's Portglenone who, having won just two matches, saw one of those chalked off after the Ports were found to have played an ineligible player, thereby gifting three points to their basement rivals Ballycastle United.

Portglenone seem to have little difficulty in scoring goals, with the likes of Owen McAlynn and Gary Kenny making regular contributions, but keeping them out at the other end has been a thorn in the Ports' side.

In Junior Division One, Carniny Amateurs' name, perhaps surprisingly, hasn't featured much among the leading teams.

However, Anthony McCartney's side has been hevily involved in cup competitions, meaning they have fallen behind in their league campaign and their record to date, coupled with the fact they have a number of games in hand over the teams above them, means they could yet figure in the final shake-up.

At the bottom end of the devision, it has been a miserable first half of the campaign for Raceview Athletic, although hopefully a point in their last fixture before Christmas will give them the impetus to rise up the table.

Matches involving locally-based sides this Saturday, January 2, are:

Crawford Cup, round one (1.30pm): Ballycastle United v Raceview; Desertmartin v Portglenone.

Junior Division One: Tobermore Utd Res v Raceview Athletic; Chimney Corner Res v Ballynure Old Boys 'B'.

Junior Division Three: Antrim Rovers v Mallusk Athletic.

County Antrim Junior Shield, round four: Carniny Amateurs v Basement YM 'A'.