Division One Preview
Fri 6th March 2015 | General | By Patrick Burke
As we edge closer to the end of the 36 game season, we are entering crunch time in the NWCFL First Division. This Saturday, there are plenty of interesting subplots in another important weekend.
We will start with the league leaders Cammell Laird 1907, who face a trip to Rochdale Town. Hosts Town will hope that last week’s point at Hanley Town will be a catalyst to end their run of form that has seen them go without a win in nine league games.
Meanwhile, Lairds remain unbeaten in the league since opening day, and have won 14 out of 15 league games since 18th October.
Fellow-Merseyside outfit Litherland REMYCA are involved in a huge game in their battle for a top six spot. At the start of January, Phil Stafford’s men looked outsiders for the play-off places, but REMY have hit form at exactly the right time, and have narrowed the gap between themselves and Daisy Hill to four points.
If they can continue their run of 10 points from 12 games, they will be there or there abouts.
Atherton Collieries are the visitors to Litherland Sports Park. They are one point below Lairds with three games in hand, and their sensational season has shown no signs of letting up – on Monday night, they reached 100 league goals for this season. Interestingly, the sides will meet at Alder House in the semi-finals of the Reusch First Division Cup at the end of March, so the teams are also playing for a psychological advantage in that one.
3rd placed Barnton are some way behind the top two, but will be delighted with their first NWCFL season. Their only league defeat since the turn of the year has been a narrow defeat at Alder House.
AFC Darwen are making the journey to Townfield hoping to continue their push for the play-offs. They too have only lost one game in 2015, and have three of the league’s most prolific goalscorers in their ranks: Ryan Steele, Paul Coote and Stephen Lee. Both sides know that three points are crucial and the meeting should be closer than the reverse fixture in August, when AFC Darwen ran out 5-1 winners.
Hanley Town welcome bottom side Oldham Boro. Since moving up to fourth in mid-February, Town have stalled a little, dropping two points at home to out-of-sorts Rochdale Town. Boro are definitely improving, shown by their excellent 1-1 draw at Barnton last time out. Unfortunately, a series of postponements have prevented them from building on that.
There is a clash between another two teams with hopes of extending their season as far as the play-offs, as Chadderton welcome Holker Old Boys.
Chadderton showed their ambitions with a comfortable 4-1 win at 6th placed Daisy Hill last Saturday. They will hope that the defeat at Atherton Collieries on Monday doesn’t dampen their spirits. Their Barrow-based opponents (who are currently in 5th place) will hope for a win to signal a change in their indifferent form in the New Year.
Daisy Hill are on a poor run of form that has seen their top 6 position come under serious threat. They have lost 6 of 7 in 2015, and conceded four goals in each of their last two games. Northwich Flixton Villa travel to New Sirs without a win since their record 10-1 victory over Widnes in December, but have taken points in four of those six games - how you judge that is very much a case of 'is your glass half full or half empty'!
A potential game of the day is at Park Road, where Terry Hincks’ Cheadle Town entertain Atherton LR.
Sitting in 8th and 7th respectively, a win could propel either side into the top six. Town will hope that they are not made to regret the earlier meeting in the season, where they were 4-1 up, but the game was abandoned due to floodlight failure.
Moving down the table to a clash between two mid-table sides, Irlam entertain Eccleshall at Silver Street. Steve Lloyd has undoubtedly improved Eccleshall, and their only defeats so far in 2015 were against Atherton Colls. With Irlam’s good home form, that game is a tough one to call, and like the meeting between the sides a fortnight ago may be decided by the odd goal.
Finally this week, there is a local derby as Ashton Town welcome Wigan Robin Park. Town will be buoyed by securing a place in the Reusch First Division Cup semis on Tuesday. The visitors will hope to continue their improved performances that saw them gain a very good point at Holker, and a harsh 4-1 reverse at leaders Lairds.
Widnes are not in action this weekend, but surely we’ll have another high quality weekend of football? Time to find out!
Division One Preview
Fri 6th March 2015 | General
By Patrick Burke
As we edge closer to the end of the 36 game season, we are entering crunch time in the NWCFL First Division. This Saturday, there are plenty of interesting subplots in another important weekend.
We will start with the league leaders Cammell Laird 1907, who face a trip to Rochdale Town. Hosts Town will hope that last week’s point at Hanley Town will be a catalyst to end their run of form that has seen them go without a win in nine league games.
Meanwhile, Lairds remain unbeaten in the league since opening day, and have won 14 out of 15 league games since 18th October.
Fellow-Merseyside outfit Litherland REMYCA are involved in a huge game in their battle for a top six spot. At the start of January, Phil Stafford’s men looked outsiders for the play-off places, but REMY have hit form at exactly the right time, and have narrowed the gap between themselves and Daisy Hill to four points.
If they can continue their run of 10 points from 12 games, they will be there or there abouts.
Atherton Collieries are the visitors to Litherland Sports Park. They are one point below Lairds with three games in hand, and their sensational season has shown no signs of letting up – on Monday night, they reached 100 league goals for this season. Interestingly, the sides will meet at Alder House in the semi-finals of the Reusch First Division Cup at the end of March, so the teams are also playing for a psychological advantage in that one.
3rd placed Barnton are some way behind the top two, but will be delighted with their first NWCFL season. Their only league defeat since the turn of the year has been a narrow defeat at Alder House.
AFC Darwen are making the journey to Townfield hoping to continue their push for the play-offs. They too have only lost one game in 2015, and have three of the league’s most prolific goalscorers in their ranks: Ryan Steele, Paul Coote and Stephen Lee. Both sides know that three points are crucial and the meeting should be closer than the reverse fixture in August, when AFC Darwen ran out 5-1 winners.
Hanley Town welcome bottom side Oldham Boro. Since moving up to fourth in mid-February, Town have stalled a little, dropping two points at home to out-of-sorts Rochdale Town. Boro are definitely improving, shown by their excellent 1-1 draw at Barnton last time out. Unfortunately, a series of postponements have prevented them from building on that.
There is a clash between another two teams with hopes of extending their season as far as the play-offs, as Chadderton welcome Holker Old Boys.
Chadderton showed their ambitions with a comfortable 4-1 win at 6th placed Daisy Hill last Saturday. They will hope that the defeat at Atherton Collieries on Monday doesn’t dampen their spirits. Their Barrow-based opponents (who are currently in 5th place) will hope for a win to signal a change in their indifferent form in the New Year.
Daisy Hill are on a poor run of form that has seen their top 6 position come under serious threat. They have lost 6 of 7 in 2015, and conceded four goals in each of their last two games. Northwich Flixton Villa travel to New Sirs without a win since their record 10-1 victory over Widnes in December, but have taken points in four of those six games - how you judge that is very much a case of 'is your glass half full or half empty'!
A potential game of the day is at Park Road, where Terry Hincks’ Cheadle Town entertain Atherton LR.
Sitting in 8th and 7th respectively, a win could propel either side into the top six. Town will hope that they are not made to regret the earlier meeting in the season, where they were 4-1 up, but the game was abandoned due to floodlight failure.
Moving down the table to a clash between two mid-table sides, Irlam entertain Eccleshall at Silver Street. Steve Lloyd has undoubtedly improved Eccleshall, and their only defeats so far in 2015 were against Atherton Colls. With Irlam’s good home form, that game is a tough one to call, and like the meeting between the sides a fortnight ago may be decided by the odd goal.
Finally this week, there is a local derby as Ashton Town welcome Wigan Robin Park. Town will be buoyed by securing a place in the Reusch First Division Cup semis on Tuesday. The visitors will hope to continue their improved performances that saw them gain a very good point at Holker, and a harsh 4-1 reverse at leaders Lairds.
Widnes are not in action this weekend, but surely we’ll have another high quality weekend of football? Time to find out!
