Division One Preview - Saturday 16th September 2016
Fri 16th September 2016 | General | By Gary Langley
The games continue to come thick and fast and with the cup competitions taking a small interlude for breath, league action returns this weekend with key games near the top and bottom end of the table.
The sometimes fickle nature of our game was brought into perspective in midweek with the passing of Shaw Lane Aquaforce player Daniel Wilkinson from a suspected Cardiac Arrest. At the end of the day it is a game, a sport and everyone comes together at games for this camaraderie, rivalry and banter and we never expect to lose one of the football family at a game. This weekend as a mark of respect all clubs will continue to be observing a minutes silence in respect of Daniel.
On that reflective note and with a number of games to preview we will get cracking. Starting at Stockport Sports Village as Stockport Town take on bottom placed Eccleshall in a game that both sides will be looking to win to claw their way up the table. Eccleshall have had another poor start to the season, propping up the table and not winning a game in any competition as yet. They clearly have defensive concerns too leaking fifteen goals over their last three games.
Ambitious Stockport have by their own standards under performed and will be looking to escape the clutches of mid-table, knowing that for all of their inconsistencies they have been fairly solid at home.
Silsden welcome AFC Blackpool to the Angel Telecom Stadium and will be buoyed by strong recent performances. James Gill's side has looked decent in recent games following a blip in mid-August but they are unbeaten now in five games and are another team who know where the net is having averaged four goals a game in that time.
That news probably won't inspire AFC Blackpool who have only won one in nine in all competitions this season and have concerns at the back too having amassed a minus fourteen goal difference already. This will be an ask for the visitors but whoever takes three points from this may find them very hand for vastly differing reasons.
After an indifferent start to life in the Hallmark Security League, Sandbach United have quietly gone about their business under the radar and are on the edge of the promotion places. It may surprise some to know they have won six of their last seven games. They welcome Ashton Town to the Sandbach Community Football Centre on Saturday with Ashton starting to show signs last week of what they are capable of with an impressive win over Parkgate last weekend in the FA Vase after a league start that has had many observers scratching their heads. Ashton have had no luck at all as yet, even in midweek when looking to get points from their game against Stockport Town, their floodlights were struck by lightening and the game was postponed so first and foremost they will be looking for a change of luck!
Prestwich Heys and Alsager meet at the Adie Moran Park with Heys unbeaten in four in all competitions scoring fifteen goals in the process and Club of the Month Alsager on an equally impressive run, unbeaten in six with four of those as wins. Two in form sides so someone's good run may have to end in this intriguing tie.
Holker Old Boys have lost momentum of late having got off to a good start in the first few weeks, their form over the last few weeks hasn't been as consistent of late but they are still on the periphery of the play off spaces after ten games. They will welcome top of the table City of Liverpool to Rakesmoor as the purples look to recover from their defeat to Remyca in the Vase last Sunday. In strong league form at home they have been a little less proficient in front of goal on the road but still effective when it comes to points, in saying that, their 5-1 away win at Cheadle in midweek certainly shows they are working on that. Their trip to Holker though will be a real test of their championship credentials even at this early stage.
Rather surprisingly both Daisy Hill and St Helens Town find themselves in the lower half of the table a quarter of the way in the season and they come face to face at The New Sirs this weekend. After a poor run at the end of August, Daisy have picked themselves up with impressive wins at home against City of Liverpool in the League and last week knocking Socrates' old club, Garforth Town out of The Buildbase FA Vase. They are a tough challenge at home at the moment and St Helens may have their work cut out and following a 2-1 midweek win away at Atherton LR Daisy are finding form at the right time.
St Helens have been frustrating to watch this season, I have seen them in three games so far and I have seen what look like three different teams. On their day they can see off the likes of Remyca and Charnock Richard but they just seem to lack consistency at present. They will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season but their fate on Saturday will depend on which St Helens turns up.
Atherton LR are another of those clubs that has oodles of potential and when everything clicks they can beat anyone. They have blown hot and cold this season so far but they will face a tough challenge on Saturday as pre season title favourites Widnes arrive at Crilly Park. The visitors arrive in the middle of a run of four games in nine days such is the demands of the league and cup competitions at the moment.
Bacup Borough host FC Oswestry Town at the Brian Boys West View Stadium hoping to turn a run of inconsistent results into wins. Brent Peters side have eleven points from ten games at present, a stat helped by a hard fought home win over Holker in midwwek. They will be looking to find consistency sooner rather than later to avoid having to put together their traditional Second half of the season invincibles run to trouble the top. They are a side who create plenty of chances, had they had Marcus Rashford on the park instead of watching from the side they would be top of the shop without doubt.
Oswestry are a steady side though, reports from their games indicate a patient passing side with an attacking edge and have recorded a few good wins up to now. Those wins have largely been at home though so they will be looking to improve their away form, their form at home isn't too bad as an 11-0 win over Rock Rovers in the first round of the Shropshire Senior Cup in midweek is testament.
Every week, we as previewing journo's always refer to whoever is travelling to Carlisle City as making the long trip North...... This weekend will be no different, Litherland Remyca make the long trip North to Carlisle City and they will be buoyed by recent performances which include four unbeaten league games and solid displays in the Vase seeing off City of Liverpool in the first qualifying round and a midweek win over Burscough in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
City, with three straight defeats will be looking to put their form behind them and they are another side who seem to come good at home, they are unbeaten on their own turf and that includes a 6-2 defeat of Daisy Hill a couple of weeks ago.
Chadderton welcome Cheadle Town to ARK Fleetech Stadium with Chadderton in a chasing group of teams looking for a play off position. Their season thus far has been fairly satisfactory for them and they are well positioned to capitalise of teams around them start taking a defeat. Cheadle are in unfamiliar territory in the bottom four of the table, not helped by that defeat on Wednesday to City of Liverpool and know that a win this weekend could put them at least within touching distance of mid-table and in sight of the pack.
Two of the divisions high flyers meet at Mossie Park as Charnock Richard play host to Whitchurch Alport with both clubs having got off to a decent start this campaign. The one thing that has held Charnock back from running away with things at present has been their home form, they have seemed to come unstuck in front of their own fans in the league but on the road they have been excellent.
Whitchurch Alport have been a surprise package for many this season but as I have touched on in previous previews, I have seen them at first hand in pre-season and the club on and off the park mean business this season and they seem to have backed this up with some astute signings and solid results. For the neutral this may well be the pick of the games this weekend but with so many implications for each result in the table, there are so many great games to choose from.
Division One Preview - Saturday 16th September 2016
Fri 16th September 2016 | General
By Gary Langley
The games continue to come thick and fast and with the cup competitions taking a small interlude for breath, league action returns this weekend with key games near the top and bottom end of the table.
The sometimes fickle nature of our game was brought into perspective in midweek with the passing of Shaw Lane Aquaforce player Daniel Wilkinson from a suspected Cardiac Arrest. At the end of the day it is a game, a sport and everyone comes together at games for this camaraderie, rivalry and banter and we never expect to lose one of the football family at a game. This weekend as a mark of respect all clubs will continue to be observing a minutes silence in respect of Daniel.
On that reflective note and with a number of games to preview we will get cracking. Starting at Stockport Sports Village as Stockport Town take on bottom placed Eccleshall in a game that both sides will be looking to win to claw their way up the table. Eccleshall have had another poor start to the season, propping up the table and not winning a game in any competition as yet. They clearly have defensive concerns too leaking fifteen goals over their last three games.
Ambitious Stockport have by their own standards under performed and will be looking to escape the clutches of mid-table, knowing that for all of their inconsistencies they have been fairly solid at home.
Silsden welcome AFC Blackpool to the Angel Telecom Stadium and will be buoyed by strong recent performances. James Gill's side has looked decent in recent games following a blip in mid-August but they are unbeaten now in five games and are another team who know where the net is having averaged four goals a game in that time.
That news probably won't inspire AFC Blackpool who have only won one in nine in all competitions this season and have concerns at the back too having amassed a minus fourteen goal difference already. This will be an ask for the visitors but whoever takes three points from this may find them very hand for vastly differing reasons.
After an indifferent start to life in the Hallmark Security League, Sandbach United have quietly gone about their business under the radar and are on the edge of the promotion places. It may surprise some to know they have won six of their last seven games. They welcome Ashton Town to the Sandbach Community Football Centre on Saturday with Ashton starting to show signs last week of what they are capable of with an impressive win over Parkgate last weekend in the FA Vase after a league start that has had many observers scratching their heads. Ashton have had no luck at all as yet, even in midweek when looking to get points from their game against Stockport Town, their floodlights were struck by lightening and the game was postponed so first and foremost they will be looking for a change of luck!
Prestwich Heys and Alsager meet at the Adie Moran Park with Heys unbeaten in four in all competitions scoring fifteen goals in the process and Club of the Month Alsager on an equally impressive run, unbeaten in six with four of those as wins. Two in form sides so someone's good run may have to end in this intriguing tie.
Holker Old Boys have lost momentum of late having got off to a good start in the first few weeks, their form over the last few weeks hasn't been as consistent of late but they are still on the periphery of the play off spaces after ten games. They will welcome top of the table City of Liverpool to Rakesmoor as the purples look to recover from their defeat to Remyca in the Vase last Sunday. In strong league form at home they have been a little less proficient in front of goal on the road but still effective when it comes to points, in saying that, their 5-1 away win at Cheadle in midweek certainly shows they are working on that. Their trip to Holker though will be a real test of their championship credentials even at this early stage.
Rather surprisingly both Daisy Hill and St Helens Town find themselves in the lower half of the table a quarter of the way in the season and they come face to face at The New Sirs this weekend. After a poor run at the end of August, Daisy have picked themselves up with impressive wins at home against City of Liverpool in the League and last week knocking Socrates' old club, Garforth Town out of The Buildbase FA Vase. They are a tough challenge at home at the moment and St Helens may have their work cut out and following a 2-1 midweek win away at Atherton LR Daisy are finding form at the right time.
St Helens have been frustrating to watch this season, I have seen them in three games so far and I have seen what look like three different teams. On their day they can see off the likes of Remyca and Charnock Richard but they just seem to lack consistency at present. They will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season but their fate on Saturday will depend on which St Helens turns up.
Atherton LR are another of those clubs that has oodles of potential and when everything clicks they can beat anyone. They have blown hot and cold this season so far but they will face a tough challenge on Saturday as pre season title favourites Widnes arrive at Crilly Park. The visitors arrive in the middle of a run of four games in nine days such is the demands of the league and cup competitions at the moment.
Bacup Borough host FC Oswestry Town at the Brian Boys West View Stadium hoping to turn a run of inconsistent results into wins. Brent Peters side have eleven points from ten games at present, a stat helped by a hard fought home win over Holker in midwwek. They will be looking to find consistency sooner rather than later to avoid having to put together their traditional Second half of the season invincibles run to trouble the top. They are a side who create plenty of chances, had they had Marcus Rashford on the park instead of watching from the side they would be top of the shop without doubt.
Oswestry are a steady side though, reports from their games indicate a patient passing side with an attacking edge and have recorded a few good wins up to now. Those wins have largely been at home though so they will be looking to improve their away form, their form at home isn't too bad as an 11-0 win over Rock Rovers in the first round of the Shropshire Senior Cup in midweek is testament.
Every week, we as previewing journo's always refer to whoever is travelling to Carlisle City as making the long trip North...... This weekend will be no different, Litherland Remyca make the long trip North to Carlisle City and they will be buoyed by recent performances which include four unbeaten league games and solid displays in the Vase seeing off City of Liverpool in the first qualifying round and a midweek win over Burscough in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
City, with three straight defeats will be looking to put their form behind them and they are another side who seem to come good at home, they are unbeaten on their own turf and that includes a 6-2 defeat of Daisy Hill a couple of weeks ago.
Chadderton welcome Cheadle Town to ARK Fleetech Stadium with Chadderton in a chasing group of teams looking for a play off position. Their season thus far has been fairly satisfactory for them and they are well positioned to capitalise of teams around them start taking a defeat. Cheadle are in unfamiliar territory in the bottom four of the table, not helped by that defeat on Wednesday to City of Liverpool and know that a win this weekend could put them at least within touching distance of mid-table and in sight of the pack.
Two of the divisions high flyers meet at Mossie Park as Charnock Richard play host to Whitchurch Alport with both clubs having got off to a decent start this campaign. The one thing that has held Charnock back from running away with things at present has been their home form, they have seemed to come unstuck in front of their own fans in the league but on the road they have been excellent.
Whitchurch Alport have been a surprise package for many this season but as I have touched on in previous previews, I have seen them at first hand in pre-season and the club on and off the park mean business this season and they seem to have backed this up with some astute signings and solid results. For the neutral this may well be the pick of the games this weekend but with so many implications for each result in the table, there are so many great games to choose from.
