Division One Preview - Saturday 19th November 2016
Fri 18th November 2016 | General | By Gary Langley
With the Division One table taking a number of twists and turns over the last week it's easy to see why gates around the division are at a good level at present.
There is drama at both ends of the table and as clubs approach the half way point, tasks for the season are clear for many with a number of clubs looking upwards and a few starting to look nervously over their shoulder.
We will start this week's review with the clubs looking to avoid trouble, with gaps starting to form at the upper and lower reaches of mid table a number of clubs need a good weekend.
Ashton Town Chairman, Mark Hayes stated recently that his club isn't having the best of times on the park at the moment, this was backed up by a 0-9 hiding courtesy of Prescot Cables in the Liverpool Senior Cup this week, to be fair Cables had a habit of beating our clubs by that score this year! Town host a Silsden side who are four places and fifteen points ahead of them in the table. Ashton Town have recruited well recently and will be hoping their new signing click this week, whilst Silsden look to put some more daylight between themselves and the bottom three.
New Eccleshall boss Jamie Cullerton had a baptism of fire last week facing high flying City of Liverpool in one of his first games in charge. They gave a good account of themselves against the Merseysiders but still ended up without a point to show for their efforts. They welcomed back Andy McKay to their coaching staff this week and they will be hoping or an immediate impact as they welcome St Helens Town to Pershall Park. St Helens have been showing signs of better form of late and will be looking to bounce back from a midweek County Cup defeat to Litherland Remyca.
Third from bottom, AFC Blackpool host Cheadle Town at the Mechanics Stadium looking to put pressure on Atherton LR just above them in the table. The tangerines were narrowly edged out of a riveting game against Bacup in midweek, losing to the odd goal in five but showed some creative edges as well as fighting spirit. Cheadle were buoyed in midweek as they put four straight defeats in all competitions behind them with a morale boosting win over Ashton Town.
In-form Carlisle City suffered a rare defeat last weekend away at Alsager so they will be looking to get their play-off place search back on track as they welcome Atherton LR to the Gillford Park Stadium. Atherton have shown signs of improvement of late and know that a win could put them on the coat-tails of the mid-table pack whilst a defeat and positive result for Blackpool could see them looking at a more dubious situation.
There are a couple of games in mid-table that could see any of a small number of clubs make in-roads but could also go a long way towards giving them breaking space as at Adie Moran Park Prestwich Heys face Daisy Hill whilst at Park Hall, Oswestry take on Bacup Borough.
Looking towards the upper echelons of the table, the top seven or so place are really taking shape as all of the expected movers and shakers are there or thereabouts. Litherland Remyca bolstered their challenge over the last week with the triple signings of Former AFC Liverpool striker Franny Barry, much coveted goalkeeper Matthew Hodge and Leon Williams. They look to have come strong at the right time as another side challenging for promotion visit Litherland Sports Park in the form of Alsager Town this weekend.
Alsager, whose form has been slightly erratic of late, have still maintained a strong challenge in the top six and were only narrowly beaten in midweek by fellow promotion chasers Widnes by the odd goal in three.
On the subject of Widnes, they will be looking to continue their surge up the table as they face Holker Old Boys at the Select Security Stadium. Joey Dunn's men are in fine form and he will be looking for three points this weekend seemingly having solved the problem that Widnes have had over the last few seasons, namely their home form. On the flip side, Holker have not travelled too well this season and will face a tough ask this weekend at the Division's form side.
Chadderton will be looking to build on their impressive looking 4-1 away win at Holker this weekend but have a tough looking home fixture against Charnock Richard. The visitors, one of a few sides who seem to be sharing the lead of the table between them at the moment, will be looking to put the disappointment of the Vase exit behind them as they look to put pressure back on the top two in the table.
One of those sides above them are Whitchurch Alport who welcome Stockport Town to Yockings Park this Saturday. Whitchurch had a cracking occasion in midweek where over 600 people turned out to see them face City of Liverpool in a battle of the top two in a competitive game of football. The visitors ended up winning 2-1 with a goal in the last minute which subsequently sent The Purples top and pushed Alport down to second. They will be looking for three points and hoping results go their way elsewhere.
Stockport have quietly gone about their business in the league of late and have put themselves in a good position of clubs around them start to drift, they have had a rough run recently in cup games but their league form has certainly been noteworthy. Not an easy game for either side but this looks like it could be a great game of football for the observer.
Last but by no means least, we look at another top prospect of a game as table topping City of Liverpool take on Sandbach United at the Delta Taxis Stadium. As previously mentioned, City of Liverpool regained top spot with a dramatic late winner at Whitchurch in midweek as Simon Burton's side looks to keep the pressure on the teams around them. Others may have games in hand but it's getting the points on the board that counts and they have certainly been grafting hard to do that.
Sandbach are in good league form themselves and currently sit sixth in the table, and they were only a mile down the road last week when they fought out a tough 1-1 draw at Litherland Remyca. They have a tough looking run of fixtures coming over the next few weeks butbwill know that a win against the league leaders would certainly give them some leeway as they look to consolidate their place in the top Six.
Lots of tidy looking games in this weekend.s round of fixtures and games that directly affect the top and bottom of the table. As the weather starts to make an impact all will be trying to get points on the board as quickly as they can.
Division One Preview - Saturday 19th November 2016
Fri 18th November 2016 | General
By Gary Langley
With the Division One table taking a number of twists and turns over the last week it's easy to see why gates around the division are at a good level at present.
There is drama at both ends of the table and as clubs approach the half way point, tasks for the season are clear for many with a number of clubs looking upwards and a few starting to look nervously over their shoulder.
We will start this week's review with the clubs looking to avoid trouble, with gaps starting to form at the upper and lower reaches of mid table a number of clubs need a good weekend.
Ashton Town Chairman, Mark Hayes stated recently that his club isn't having the best of times on the park at the moment, this was backed up by a 0-9 hiding courtesy of Prescot Cables in the Liverpool Senior Cup this week, to be fair Cables had a habit of beating our clubs by that score this year! Town host a Silsden side who are four places and fifteen points ahead of them in the table. Ashton Town have recruited well recently and will be hoping their new signing click this week, whilst Silsden look to put some more daylight between themselves and the bottom three.
New Eccleshall boss Jamie Cullerton had a baptism of fire last week facing high flying City of Liverpool in one of his first games in charge. They gave a good account of themselves against the Merseysiders but still ended up without a point to show for their efforts. They welcomed back Andy McKay to their coaching staff this week and they will be hoping or an immediate impact as they welcome St Helens Town to Pershall Park. St Helens have been showing signs of better form of late and will be looking to bounce back from a midweek County Cup defeat to Litherland Remyca.
Third from bottom, AFC Blackpool host Cheadle Town at the Mechanics Stadium looking to put pressure on Atherton LR just above them in the table. The tangerines were narrowly edged out of a riveting game against Bacup in midweek, losing to the odd goal in five but showed some creative edges as well as fighting spirit. Cheadle were buoyed in midweek as they put four straight defeats in all competitions behind them with a morale boosting win over Ashton Town.
In-form Carlisle City suffered a rare defeat last weekend away at Alsager so they will be looking to get their play-off place search back on track as they welcome Atherton LR to the Gillford Park Stadium. Atherton have shown signs of improvement of late and know that a win could put them on the coat-tails of the mid-table pack whilst a defeat and positive result for Blackpool could see them looking at a more dubious situation.
There are a couple of games in mid-table that could see any of a small number of clubs make in-roads but could also go a long way towards giving them breaking space as at Adie Moran Park Prestwich Heys face Daisy Hill whilst at Park Hall, Oswestry take on Bacup Borough.
Looking towards the upper echelons of the table, the top seven or so place are really taking shape as all of the expected movers and shakers are there or thereabouts. Litherland Remyca bolstered their challenge over the last week with the triple signings of Former AFC Liverpool striker Franny Barry, much coveted goalkeeper Matthew Hodge and Leon Williams. They look to have come strong at the right time as another side challenging for promotion visit Litherland Sports Park in the form of Alsager Town this weekend.
Alsager, whose form has been slightly erratic of late, have still maintained a strong challenge in the top six and were only narrowly beaten in midweek by fellow promotion chasers Widnes by the odd goal in three.
On the subject of Widnes, they will be looking to continue their surge up the table as they face Holker Old Boys at the Select Security Stadium. Joey Dunn's men are in fine form and he will be looking for three points this weekend seemingly having solved the problem that Widnes have had over the last few seasons, namely their home form. On the flip side, Holker have not travelled too well this season and will face a tough ask this weekend at the Division's form side.
Chadderton will be looking to build on their impressive looking 4-1 away win at Holker this weekend but have a tough looking home fixture against Charnock Richard. The visitors, one of a few sides who seem to be sharing the lead of the table between them at the moment, will be looking to put the disappointment of the Vase exit behind them as they look to put pressure back on the top two in the table.
One of those sides above them are Whitchurch Alport who welcome Stockport Town to Yockings Park this Saturday. Whitchurch had a cracking occasion in midweek where over 600 people turned out to see them face City of Liverpool in a battle of the top two in a competitive game of football. The visitors ended up winning 2-1 with a goal in the last minute which subsequently sent The Purples top and pushed Alport down to second. They will be looking for three points and hoping results go their way elsewhere.
Stockport have quietly gone about their business in the league of late and have put themselves in a good position of clubs around them start to drift, they have had a rough run recently in cup games but their league form has certainly been noteworthy. Not an easy game for either side but this looks like it could be a great game of football for the observer.
Last but by no means least, we look at another top prospect of a game as table topping City of Liverpool take on Sandbach United at the Delta Taxis Stadium. As previously mentioned, City of Liverpool regained top spot with a dramatic late winner at Whitchurch in midweek as Simon Burton's side looks to keep the pressure on the teams around them. Others may have games in hand but it's getting the points on the board that counts and they have certainly been grafting hard to do that.
Sandbach are in good league form themselves and currently sit sixth in the table, and they were only a mile down the road last week when they fought out a tough 1-1 draw at Litherland Remyca. They have a tough looking run of fixtures coming over the next few weeks butbwill know that a win against the league leaders would certainly give them some leeway as they look to consolidate their place in the top Six.
Lots of tidy looking games in this weekend.s round of fixtures and games that directly affect the top and bottom of the table. As the weather starts to make an impact all will be trying to get points on the board as quickly as they can.
