Division One Preview - w/e 30/31 December 2016
Fri 30th December 2016 | General | By Gary Langley
With the festive season heading to an end there is no let up for the fixtures, however, they are spread over the full holiday weekend so for the casual and hardcore alike there is a veritable feast of football to get to.
So starting off with Friday evening, there are a couple of fixture to whet the appetite. At Rakesmoor at 3:00pm, Holker Old Boys host Daisy Hill with both clubs having had a bit more rest, not having games on Boxing Day due to postponements. Holker’s last game was on 17th December, a 2-2 draw at home to Stockport Town and they are well clear of the drop zone. Daisy Hill are a few places above their opponents but are in a poor run of form by their recent standards, losing four of the last six in all competitions. Such is the make-up of the Division One table though, if they go on a good run and level off the games in hand they have on other clubs they are still potentially within reach of the top six.
Later that evening (7:45pm) Prestwich Heys face St Helens Town at Adie Moran Park. Ninth placed Heys are themselves within touching distance of that all-important upper echelon of the top six and have games in hand on those around them, one club as such is their opponents. A win over St Helens could see them climb to seventh depending on other results. St Helens were beaten 2-4 at home by Litherland Remyca on Boxing Day which made their own assault on the play-off zone more difficult. They had been in great form up until mid-December and had caught the eye in the various media outlets as dark horses for a late push, however, two defeats in their last three mean they will have to go some to get that status back.
New Years Eve sees a number of fixtures but many have varying kick off times so if you are planning on heading along to a game, just double-check the times with the clubs concerned.
Starting with Stockport Town, they have had some major changes at the club over the last fortnight following the departure of Calum Sykes to New Mills. Town welcome City of Liverpool FC and the fixture against The Purples couldn’t have come at a more difficult time with them as they try to bed-in a new look squad. Stockport did acquit themselves well on Boxing Day though, this despite going down 2-0 away at Cheadle, however, observers at the game have mentioned that they played well.
City of Liverpool have not played for a couple of weeks, their last game was a 1-2 defeat away at Sandbach on 17th December so Simon Burton will be keen to get his players back in competitive action as they look to put the pressure back on the top two in the Division and with games on the horizon against both Alsager and Charnock Richard over the next few weeks, their automatic promotion credentials will be tested greatly, not least by a new-look Stockport side this weekend. The published kick off time for this one is showing as 1:00pm.
On the subject of Charnock Richard, they welcome Bacup Borough to Mossie Park and go into this game on the back of a rare defeat. Boxing Day saw AFC Blackpool visit and bust a few coupons as they tore up the form book and defeated Charnock 2-3 on their own park. The same day also saw Bacup taste defeat as they travelled to Silsden and came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline. Four straight defeats for Brent Peters sides probably sees Charnock Richard go into this game as favorites, however they may well take heart from the Blackpool result.
AFC Blackpool are on a mini-revival, they are unbeaten in two games and recorded that morale boosting win away at Charnock Richard last week. They have an equally tough looking fixture this week as they host Widnes at the Mechanics Stadium. Widnes head to the Seasiders unbeaten in their last ten in all competitions, however, not counting their abandoned game against Silsden back on 17th December they have not played a full competitive game since 10th December. Joey Dunn will be sure to get his players fired up for a fixture that looks a lot more competitive than perhaps it may have done a couple of weeks ago. This game is currently a 3:00pm kick off.
At Woodland Court two of the divisions high flyers go head to head in another 3:00pm game as fifth placed Alsager Town welcome league leaders Whitchurch Alport in a great looking top of the table clash. Alsager have put a disappointing November behind them and appear to have regained their early season consistency which has seen them consolidate their spot in the top six. They go into this game off the back of a 6-1 Boxing Day win over Eccleshall so head into this game with their tails up.
Alport also have reasons to be cheerful knowing that whatever the result they will be top of the table heading into 2017. They have played more games than a couple of the clubs around them though so will be keen to consolidate their position and keep the pressure on the chasing sides.
Two sides with equally pressing issues but at the other end of the table are Atherton LR and Silsden and they face each other at Crilly Park at 2:00pm. Twentieth placed LR have picked up occasional points here and there when it's mattered and they are nine points clear of Eccleshall who are in the drop zone but will be hoping for a better outing than last week where they were comprehensively turned over 0-6 away at Prestwich Heys.
Silsden are probably far enough ahead of the danger zone to be able to breathe easier. They won last time out beating Bacup Borough 2-1 and they will perhaps fancy their chances in this one and having a number of games in hand on the clubs around them will have their eyes firmly looking up rather than nervously looking down.
FC Oswestry Town welcome Sandbach United to The Venue for a 2:00pm game with both of these sides strongly placed for the play-offs. Oswestry are currently in eighth, two places and five points behind their visiting opponents and have played more games but have been strong at home. Given their good form it was perhaps surprising that Sandbach lost 0-1 away at Chadderton last time out, they had gone into that game unbeaten in their previous five and high in the form table. As strong as Oswestry have been at home, Sandbach have been equally impressive on the road.
So there you have it, there are great games across the board over the holiday weekend with lots at stake. Here's hoping that Jack Frost has other things to attend rather than football grounds. Just a reminder before we sign this preview off that Martin Fallon's Divisional reviews of the Year are also available to read on this website, they can be accessed from the front page or news tabs, great memories for some and as always som great statistical insights.
Division One Preview - w/e 30/31 December 2016
Fri 30th December 2016 | General
By Gary Langley
With the festive season heading to an end there is no let up for the fixtures, however, they are spread over the full holiday weekend so for the casual and hardcore alike there is a veritable feast of football to get to.
So starting off with Friday evening, there are a couple of fixture to whet the appetite. At Rakesmoor at 3:00pm, Holker Old Boys host Daisy Hill with both clubs having had a bit more rest, not having games on Boxing Day due to postponements. Holker’s last game was on 17th December, a 2-2 draw at home to Stockport Town and they are well clear of the drop zone. Daisy Hill are a few places above their opponents but are in a poor run of form by their recent standards, losing four of the last six in all competitions. Such is the make-up of the Division One table though, if they go on a good run and level off the games in hand they have on other clubs they are still potentially within reach of the top six.
Later that evening (7:45pm) Prestwich Heys face St Helens Town at Adie Moran Park. Ninth placed Heys are themselves within touching distance of that all-important upper echelon of the top six and have games in hand on those around them, one club as such is their opponents. A win over St Helens could see them climb to seventh depending on other results. St Helens were beaten 2-4 at home by Litherland Remyca on Boxing Day which made their own assault on the play-off zone more difficult. They had been in great form up until mid-December and had caught the eye in the various media outlets as dark horses for a late push, however, two defeats in their last three mean they will have to go some to get that status back.
New Years Eve sees a number of fixtures but many have varying kick off times so if you are planning on heading along to a game, just double-check the times with the clubs concerned.
Starting with Stockport Town, they have had some major changes at the club over the last fortnight following the departure of Calum Sykes to New Mills. Town welcome City of Liverpool FC and the fixture against The Purples couldn’t have come at a more difficult time with them as they try to bed-in a new look squad. Stockport did acquit themselves well on Boxing Day though, this despite going down 2-0 away at Cheadle, however, observers at the game have mentioned that they played well.
City of Liverpool have not played for a couple of weeks, their last game was a 1-2 defeat away at Sandbach on 17th December so Simon Burton will be keen to get his players back in competitive action as they look to put the pressure back on the top two in the Division and with games on the horizon against both Alsager and Charnock Richard over the next few weeks, their automatic promotion credentials will be tested greatly, not least by a new-look Stockport side this weekend. The published kick off time for this one is showing as 1:00pm.
On the subject of Charnock Richard, they welcome Bacup Borough to Mossie Park and go into this game on the back of a rare defeat. Boxing Day saw AFC Blackpool visit and bust a few coupons as they tore up the form book and defeated Charnock 2-3 on their own park. The same day also saw Bacup taste defeat as they travelled to Silsden and came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline. Four straight defeats for Brent Peters sides probably sees Charnock Richard go into this game as favorites, however they may well take heart from the Blackpool result.
AFC Blackpool are on a mini-revival, they are unbeaten in two games and recorded that morale boosting win away at Charnock Richard last week. They have an equally tough looking fixture this week as they host Widnes at the Mechanics Stadium. Widnes head to the Seasiders unbeaten in their last ten in all competitions, however, not counting their abandoned game against Silsden back on 17th December they have not played a full competitive game since 10th December. Joey Dunn will be sure to get his players fired up for a fixture that looks a lot more competitive than perhaps it may have done a couple of weeks ago. This game is currently a 3:00pm kick off.
At Woodland Court two of the divisions high flyers go head to head in another 3:00pm game as fifth placed Alsager Town welcome league leaders Whitchurch Alport in a great looking top of the table clash. Alsager have put a disappointing November behind them and appear to have regained their early season consistency which has seen them consolidate their spot in the top six. They go into this game off the back of a 6-1 Boxing Day win over Eccleshall so head into this game with their tails up.
Alport also have reasons to be cheerful knowing that whatever the result they will be top of the table heading into 2017. They have played more games than a couple of the clubs around them though so will be keen to consolidate their position and keep the pressure on the chasing sides.
Two sides with equally pressing issues but at the other end of the table are Atherton LR and Silsden and they face each other at Crilly Park at 2:00pm. Twentieth placed LR have picked up occasional points here and there when it's mattered and they are nine points clear of Eccleshall who are in the drop zone but will be hoping for a better outing than last week where they were comprehensively turned over 0-6 away at Prestwich Heys.
Silsden are probably far enough ahead of the danger zone to be able to breathe easier. They won last time out beating Bacup Borough 2-1 and they will perhaps fancy their chances in this one and having a number of games in hand on the clubs around them will have their eyes firmly looking up rather than nervously looking down.
FC Oswestry Town welcome Sandbach United to The Venue for a 2:00pm game with both of these sides strongly placed for the play-offs. Oswestry are currently in eighth, two places and five points behind their visiting opponents and have played more games but have been strong at home. Given their good form it was perhaps surprising that Sandbach lost 0-1 away at Chadderton last time out, they had gone into that game unbeaten in their previous five and high in the form table. As strong as Oswestry have been at home, Sandbach have been equally impressive on the road.
So there you have it, there are great games across the board over the holiday weekend with lots at stake. Here's hoping that Jack Frost has other things to attend rather than football grounds. Just a reminder before we sign this preview off that Martin Fallon's Divisional reviews of the Year are also available to read on this website, they can be accessed from the front page or news tabs, great memories for some and as always som great statistical insights.
