Premier Division Preview - Saturday 23rd April 2016
Fri 22nd April 2016 | General | By Patrick Burke
Just how many more twists can we have in this tale?
Midweek action changed the complexion at both ends of the table: for each of the five teams most at risk of relegation, the mathematical formula required to stay up is more complex than some sort of Einsteinian equation, and it looks similarly complicated at the top.
The action starts on Friday night with a South Manchester Derby, as West Didsbury & Chorlton host Maine Road.
Despite no win in four games, 6th placed West are already guaranteed to record their highest ever points tally in the Premier Division. A top 10 finish is the target for Maine Road, and the 1-1 draw at Cammell Laird 1907 in midweek leaves them 11th in the table.
Their young side looked full of talent on Tuesday, so they will be seeking to get something from this match.
Based on the two sides’ positions in the table, Runcorn Linnets against 1874 Northwich should be a cracker.
Drawing 1-1 at Nelson on Tuesday wasn’t ideal for Linnets, the league leaders, but they have taken 22 points from a possible 24 in their last eight home matches.
1874 also drew in midweek – 2-2 at home to their landlords, Winsford United – but should still be on a high after winning their first ever trophy in the form of the Mid Cheshire Senior Cup on Monday. They aim to consolidate their place in 4th.
Colne are to Linnets what a hawk, or perhaps a cat, is to the ordinary linnet, as Steve Cunningham’s side hope to keep hunting the table-toppers down: they are two points behind but with a game in hand.
Seven wins in their last nine, and twelve goals in their previous three matches, suggests that the side in 2nd are still firing on all cylinders moving towards the end of the season. Victory will be vital as they host 7th placed Bootle.
Three wins in their last four matches has seen the visitors’ form pick up again, and the fact that one of those was against Colne at the start of the month makes this an even more fascinating encounter.
Atherton Collieries top the form table, and drew at Colne on Thursday, so should not be written off in the title race just yet. Colls lie 3rd in the table, so although favours would be required elsewhere to claim the crown, all they can do is aim to win their matches.
They welcome AFC Blackpool on Saturday, and the visitors have had a mixed week, emphatically winning 5-2 against Congleton Town on Saturday, before disappointing defeats to Abbey Hey and Silsden.
Blackpool lie 20th, but have played fewer matches than all of their relegation rivals; they also rank higher in the form table than all of them, except Silsden.
5th placed Congleton’s run of nine wins in ten games was ended with defeats at AFC Blackpool and Padiham. The Bears will aim for a response on another lengthy away trip, this time to Silsden.
The hosts moved off the foot of the table with a 3-0 win against AFC Blackpool on Thursday, and their spirited performance in defeat to Lairds last Saturday suggests that all is not lost in their attempts to stay up - they will certainly fight until the bitter end.
With games in hand on their rivals, Ashton Athletic may be aspiring to finish higher than their current 8th placed position, and they face a relatively short trip to AFC Liverpool on Saturday.
It’s just one win in sixteen games for the 16th placed hosts, but the fact that are shipping far fewer goals than they were suggests that Kevin Dally, appointed as manager in February, is on the right track.
Ashton always try and play football the right way; they lost at Colne on Saturday, before drawing at Barnoldswick Town in midweek.
Sitting level on points with Athletic, but having played three more games, Runcorn Town strive for a first win in four matches on Saturday as they travel to 18th placed Squires Gate.
That run of form puts Town in 9th place, but they won 2-1 at AFC Blackpool on their last visit to the Fylde Coast just under a month ago. No win in eight had sucked hosts Squires Gate back into the drop zone, so the 2-1 victory at Silsden on Tuesday was massive.
Winsford United host Barnoldswick at the Barton Stadium in a mid-table battle. The home side are 14th in the table after just one win in six. However, everyone chips with goals at Winsford, so 12th placed Barlick will have to be wary if they want three points for the second consecutive Saturday, after a 2-0 triumph at Bootle last week. That was before a draw against Ashton on Tuesday.
Abbey Hey against Nelson is another contest between two solid outfits. The 13th placed hosts can beat anyone on their day, but the win at AFC Blackpool will have been a massive boost to Luke Gibson’s side after eleven winless games.
17th placed Nelson will be buoyed by a 5-1 win against Winsford last Saturday and a 1-1 draw against Linnets on Tuesday, this after four narrow defeats in a row.
Finally for this, the third to last weekend of the season, Alsager Town entertain Padiham. The home side are desperate for three points in their survival battle, but three defeats in four - including 6-3 away at Padiham - leaves them bottom and five points from safety.
It has, though, been a great effort by all since after Christmas to get to this position.
15th placed Padiham may have nothing to play for in terms of promotion or relegation, but just one defeat in their last eleven suggests that they are very serious about finishing as high as possible.
It would take an extremely brave person to call the table we will be staring at in just over three weeks’ time, at 5pm on 7th May. This weekend is another critical one for all Premier Division sides, whether in action or not.
Premier Division Preview - Saturday 23rd April 2016
Fri 22nd April 2016 | General
By Patrick Burke
Just how many more twists can we have in this tale?
Midweek action changed the complexion at both ends of the table: for each of the five teams most at risk of relegation, the mathematical formula required to stay up is more complex than some sort of Einsteinian equation, and it looks similarly complicated at the top.
The action starts on Friday night with a South Manchester Derby, as West Didsbury & Chorlton host Maine Road.
Despite no win in four games, 6th placed West are already guaranteed to record their highest ever points tally in the Premier Division. A top 10 finish is the target for Maine Road, and the 1-1 draw at Cammell Laird 1907 in midweek leaves them 11th in the table.
Their young side looked full of talent on Tuesday, so they will be seeking to get something from this match.
Based on the two sides’ positions in the table, Runcorn Linnets against 1874 Northwich should be a cracker.
Drawing 1-1 at Nelson on Tuesday wasn’t ideal for Linnets, the league leaders, but they have taken 22 points from a possible 24 in their last eight home matches.
1874 also drew in midweek – 2-2 at home to their landlords, Winsford United – but should still be on a high after winning their first ever trophy in the form of the Mid Cheshire Senior Cup on Monday. They aim to consolidate their place in 4th.
Colne are to Linnets what a hawk, or perhaps a cat, is to the ordinary linnet, as Steve Cunningham’s side hope to keep hunting the table-toppers down: they are two points behind but with a game in hand.
Seven wins in their last nine, and twelve goals in their previous three matches, suggests that the side in 2nd are still firing on all cylinders moving towards the end of the season. Victory will be vital as they host 7th placed Bootle.
Three wins in their last four matches has seen the visitors’ form pick up again, and the fact that one of those was against Colne at the start of the month makes this an even more fascinating encounter.
Atherton Collieries top the form table, and drew at Colne on Thursday, so should not be written off in the title race just yet. Colls lie 3rd in the table, so although favours would be required elsewhere to claim the crown, all they can do is aim to win their matches.
They welcome AFC Blackpool on Saturday, and the visitors have had a mixed week, emphatically winning 5-2 against Congleton Town on Saturday, before disappointing defeats to Abbey Hey and Silsden.
Blackpool lie 20th, but have played fewer matches than all of their relegation rivals; they also rank higher in the form table than all of them, except Silsden.
5th placed Congleton’s run of nine wins in ten games was ended with defeats at AFC Blackpool and Padiham. The Bears will aim for a response on another lengthy away trip, this time to Silsden.
The hosts moved off the foot of the table with a 3-0 win against AFC Blackpool on Thursday, and their spirited performance in defeat to Lairds last Saturday suggests that all is not lost in their attempts to stay up - they will certainly fight until the bitter end.
With games in hand on their rivals, Ashton Athletic may be aspiring to finish higher than their current 8th placed position, and they face a relatively short trip to AFC Liverpool on Saturday.
It’s just one win in sixteen games for the 16th placed hosts, but the fact that are shipping far fewer goals than they were suggests that Kevin Dally, appointed as manager in February, is on the right track.
Ashton always try and play football the right way; they lost at Colne on Saturday, before drawing at Barnoldswick Town in midweek.
Sitting level on points with Athletic, but having played three more games, Runcorn Town strive for a first win in four matches on Saturday as they travel to 18th placed Squires Gate.
That run of form puts Town in 9th place, but they won 2-1 at AFC Blackpool on their last visit to the Fylde Coast just under a month ago. No win in eight had sucked hosts Squires Gate back into the drop zone, so the 2-1 victory at Silsden on Tuesday was massive.
Winsford United host Barnoldswick at the Barton Stadium in a mid-table battle. The home side are 14th in the table after just one win in six. However, everyone chips with goals at Winsford, so 12th placed Barlick will have to be wary if they want three points for the second consecutive Saturday, after a 2-0 triumph at Bootle last week. That was before a draw against Ashton on Tuesday.
Abbey Hey against Nelson is another contest between two solid outfits. The 13th placed hosts can beat anyone on their day, but the win at AFC Blackpool will have been a massive boost to Luke Gibson’s side after eleven winless games.
17th placed Nelson will be buoyed by a 5-1 win against Winsford last Saturday and a 1-1 draw against Linnets on Tuesday, this after four narrow defeats in a row.
Finally for this, the third to last weekend of the season, Alsager Town entertain Padiham. The home side are desperate for three points in their survival battle, but three defeats in four - including 6-3 away at Padiham - leaves them bottom and five points from safety.
It has, though, been a great effort by all since after Christmas to get to this position.
15th placed Padiham may have nothing to play for in terms of promotion or relegation, but just one defeat in their last eleven suggests that they are very serious about finishing as high as possible.
It would take an extremely brave person to call the table we will be staring at in just over three weeks’ time, at 5pm on 7th May. This weekend is another critical one for all Premier Division sides, whether in action or not.
