Division One Preview - Saturday 26th March 2016
Fri 25th March 2016 | General | By John McKiernan
The final Saturday of March sees sixteen First Division teams in action and with plenty to play for at both ends of the table, it promises to be an interesting afternoon.
League leaders Hanley Town travel to Lambeth Grove, where Stockport Town will be hoping to boost their play-off hopes and complete a disappointing week for the visitors.
A win for the Lions would see them earn a ‘double’ over Hanley having won 2-3 in the opening fixture of the 2015-16 season. Following six successive wins Hanley succumbed to their first defeat since last October when going down 2-3 at home to Daisy Hill last weekend; but the Abzorbed Arena outfit remain hot favourites and hold an eight point lead at the top of the Division One table.
Stockport’s recent form suggests this could be a cracker as they recorded three successive league wins followed by a penalty shoot-out defeat against Barton in the Reusch First Division Cup semi-final last weekend.
Two teams currently occupying play-off places are in action at Rakesmoor Lane where Holker Old Boys entertain Cheadle Town.
Both teams are under pressure from the chasing pack. Holker picked up four points in the last week with a 1-2 at Northwich Manchester Villa last Saturday followed by a midweek point against visitors Ashton Town (2-2).
Last time out for Cheadle saw them recover from 3-1 down at Eccleshall to eventually secure three points with a 3-6 win. The two teams met at Park Road back in October and on that occasion shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw.
Mid-table Ashton Town play host to fourteenth place Chadderton at the MSO Stadium with the home side looking for their first win since the end of January; a run which has seen the play-off hopefuls record 4 draws and 4 defeats.
Most recently a decent 2-2 draw following a long trip to Holker Olds Boys in mid-week. It’s a similar story for Chadderton with the visitors seeing just one win in their last six; that a 0-1 away win at Bacup Borough. The two teams will meet seven days later at Andrew Street.
Buoyed by their comeback against St Helens Town (3-3) last Saturday and a 0-2 away win in midweek at Northwich Manchester Villa, Bacup Borough will be looking to take maximum points as they entertain Widnes.
Brent Peters’ side are among a cluster of teams on the fringes of the play-offs while Widnes will be hoping to build on last weekend’s 0-5 win at Eccleshall which ended a run of three successive defeats. A win for Widnes will see them complete the double over their hosts having secured a 5-2 home win in the opening game of 2016.
One of the Division’s form teams Daisy Hill welcome Northwich Manchester Villa to New Sirs and the home side will be aiming to make it four successive wins after victories over Eccleshall (1-3), Bacup (3-0) and last Saturday at runaway leaders Hanley Town (2-3).
For Villa it’s been a disappointing period with a draw and three defeats since they won at Whitchurch Alport (0-4) last month. The two teams met in league action during the opening week of the season with a 2-2 draw ensuing at Irlam’s Silver Street.
Eccleshall who sit in sixteenth place in Division One welcome high flying Irlam who have an automatic promotion place in their sights.
The visitors’ trip to the Adverc Stadium sees them in excellent form with 5 wins and two draws in their last seven games. Last Saturday they defeated Litherland REMYCA 3-1 at Silver Street while in midweek they travelled to title favourites Hanley Town, holding their hosts to a 0-0 draw.
It was a tight encounter when Eccleshall travelled to Irlam earlier this month; a goal from Jordan Southworth edging it for the home side. Eccleshall will be hoping fortune goes their way on this occasion and victory would see them end a run of ten without a victory.
Mayfield Sports Centre is the venue as Rochdale Town take on Litherland REMYCA, and the visitors will be hoping to maintain the form which has seen them firmly in the play-off places.
Hosts Rochdale sit comfortably in mid-table and are looking for a hat trick of victories following maximum points from home wins this week against Whitchurch Alport (5-2) and Eccleshall (2-0).
Having lost at Irlam last Saturday ‘Remy’ recovered to record their seventh win in nine games when taking the three points in their midweek game at home to Chadderton (2-1).
However, it’s likely to be another tight affair as their initial league meeting proved when the two sides drew 2-2 at Litherland Sports Park back in October.
St Helens Town make first trip to Yockings Park where bottom club Whitchurch Alport will be looking for a response following the departure of manager Richard O’Keefe.
Town have an impressive recent away record with six wins, a daw and one defeat in the eight away games they have played in 2016. Recent results having included a 0-5 win at Holker while last Saturday 10-man Town held on to a point with a 3-3 draw at Bacup.
For Whitchurch it’s been nine games since a win, with eight defeats and a solitary draw since mid-December. The two teams will meet again at Brocstedes Park in the final week of the campaign.
Division One Preview - Saturday 26th March 2016
Fri 25th March 2016 | General
By John McKiernan
The final Saturday of March sees sixteen First Division teams in action and with plenty to play for at both ends of the table, it promises to be an interesting afternoon.
League leaders Hanley Town travel to Lambeth Grove, where Stockport Town will be hoping to boost their play-off hopes and complete a disappointing week for the visitors.
A win for the Lions would see them earn a ‘double’ over Hanley having won 2-3 in the opening fixture of the 2015-16 season. Following six successive wins Hanley succumbed to their first defeat since last October when going down 2-3 at home to Daisy Hill last weekend; but the Abzorbed Arena outfit remain hot favourites and hold an eight point lead at the top of the Division One table.
Stockport’s recent form suggests this could be a cracker as they recorded three successive league wins followed by a penalty shoot-out defeat against Barton in the Reusch First Division Cup semi-final last weekend.
Two teams currently occupying play-off places are in action at Rakesmoor Lane where Holker Old Boys entertain Cheadle Town.
Both teams are under pressure from the chasing pack. Holker picked up four points in the last week with a 1-2 at Northwich Manchester Villa last Saturday followed by a midweek point against visitors Ashton Town (2-2).
Last time out for Cheadle saw them recover from 3-1 down at Eccleshall to eventually secure three points with a 3-6 win. The two teams met at Park Road back in October and on that occasion shared the spoils with a 2-2 draw.
Mid-table Ashton Town play host to fourteenth place Chadderton at the MSO Stadium with the home side looking for their first win since the end of January; a run which has seen the play-off hopefuls record 4 draws and 4 defeats.
Most recently a decent 2-2 draw following a long trip to Holker Olds Boys in mid-week. It’s a similar story for Chadderton with the visitors seeing just one win in their last six; that a 0-1 away win at Bacup Borough. The two teams will meet seven days later at Andrew Street.
Buoyed by their comeback against St Helens Town (3-3) last Saturday and a 0-2 away win in midweek at Northwich Manchester Villa, Bacup Borough will be looking to take maximum points as they entertain Widnes.
Brent Peters’ side are among a cluster of teams on the fringes of the play-offs while Widnes will be hoping to build on last weekend’s 0-5 win at Eccleshall which ended a run of three successive defeats. A win for Widnes will see them complete the double over their hosts having secured a 5-2 home win in the opening game of 2016.
One of the Division’s form teams Daisy Hill welcome Northwich Manchester Villa to New Sirs and the home side will be aiming to make it four successive wins after victories over Eccleshall (1-3), Bacup (3-0) and last Saturday at runaway leaders Hanley Town (2-3).
For Villa it’s been a disappointing period with a draw and three defeats since they won at Whitchurch Alport (0-4) last month. The two teams met in league action during the opening week of the season with a 2-2 draw ensuing at Irlam’s Silver Street.
Eccleshall who sit in sixteenth place in Division One welcome high flying Irlam who have an automatic promotion place in their sights.
The visitors’ trip to the Adverc Stadium sees them in excellent form with 5 wins and two draws in their last seven games. Last Saturday they defeated Litherland REMYCA 3-1 at Silver Street while in midweek they travelled to title favourites Hanley Town, holding their hosts to a 0-0 draw.
It was a tight encounter when Eccleshall travelled to Irlam earlier this month; a goal from Jordan Southworth edging it for the home side. Eccleshall will be hoping fortune goes their way on this occasion and victory would see them end a run of ten without a victory.
Mayfield Sports Centre is the venue as Rochdale Town take on Litherland REMYCA, and the visitors will be hoping to maintain the form which has seen them firmly in the play-off places.
Hosts Rochdale sit comfortably in mid-table and are looking for a hat trick of victories following maximum points from home wins this week against Whitchurch Alport (5-2) and Eccleshall (2-0).
Having lost at Irlam last Saturday ‘Remy’ recovered to record their seventh win in nine games when taking the three points in their midweek game at home to Chadderton (2-1).
However, it’s likely to be another tight affair as their initial league meeting proved when the two sides drew 2-2 at Litherland Sports Park back in October.
St Helens Town make first trip to Yockings Park where bottom club Whitchurch Alport will be looking for a response following the departure of manager Richard O’Keefe.
Town have an impressive recent away record with six wins, a daw and one defeat in the eight away games they have played in 2016. Recent results having included a 0-5 win at Holker while last Saturday 10-man Town held on to a point with a 3-3 draw at Bacup.
For Whitchurch it’s been nine games since a win, with eight defeats and a solitary draw since mid-December. The two teams will meet again at Brocstedes Park in the final week of the campaign.
