Five Things We Learned - w/e Saturday 31st December 2016
Tue 3rd January 2017 | General | By Ian Templeman
Too tight to call at the top of the Premier Division
Has there ever been a more keenly contested battle at the top of the Premier Division?
The latest round of results now means that just four points separate the top five clubs as we enter the New Year – a tantalising and fascinating state of affairs that will surely continue right up to the last kick on the final day of the season.
We always like to believe that our League delivers good competitive football, and when the five best teams in the league are only separated by four points after the halfway point of the season, you couldn’t ask for a better demonstration.
No festive blues for the Blues
One team who have emerged from the festive season in ebullient mood are Winsford United, who ended a run of eight games without a win in impressive fashion across the Christmas period.
A tidy 2-0 win over AFC Liverpool in the week leading up to Christmas was a decent start, and they followed that up in fine style with a 4-0 win over tenants 1874 Northwich on Boxing Day, before recording another good 4-2 win in another Cheshire derby at home to Congleton Town on Saturday.
Lee Duckworth’s men now face a tough trip to Stockport County in a Cheshire Cup tie as their next test, but there will be no shortage of confidence in the Blues camp after recent performances.
The only way is up for Town
It’s always tough for a club when a manager leaves and most of the players follow him, so there will be many who can sympathise with Stockport Town’s situation at the moment.
They are certainly not the first non-league club to experience the issue and equally certainly won’t be the last, but for now it’s a case of regrouping and steadying the ship after the 10-0 defeat to City of Liverpool at the weekend.
With plenty of points still to play for, and a mid-table league position giving a cushion from the relegation place, the hope has to be that a revamped Town will soon be a force to be reckoned with once again.
Turnaround for Alport
One club who certainly experienced differing fortunes during 2016 are Whitchurch Alport.
After propping up the table at the end of last season, having won only two league games, progress in the space of a few months has been dramatic to say the least, and Alport begin 2017 at the top of the Division One table after Saturday’s 1-0 win at fellow promotion chasers Alsager Town.
Boasting the meanest defence in the league, Alport are in good shape to build on the positive performances of the past few months, and the struggles of last season are certainly long forgotten.
No problems in the goals department for Sandbach
Sandbach United kept up their hopes of securing a promotion playoff place with a fine 5-1 win at FC Oswestry Town at the weekend.
It was the latest in a series of impressive results for Andy Hockenhull’s men, who have now lost just once in eight games, and they have also demonstrated a healthy ability to conjure up goals from all areas of the squad, with nine different players hitting the back of the net in the last six games.
Goalscoring versatility is an asset that could deliver the goods for United in the shake up at the end of the season.
Five Things We Learned - w/e Saturday 31st December 2016
Tue 3rd January 2017 | General
By Ian Templeman
Too tight to call at the top of the Premier Division
Has there ever been a more keenly contested battle at the top of the Premier Division?
The latest round of results now means that just four points separate the top five clubs as we enter the New Year – a tantalising and fascinating state of affairs that will surely continue right up to the last kick on the final day of the season.
We always like to believe that our League delivers good competitive football, and when the five best teams in the league are only separated by four points after the halfway point of the season, you couldn’t ask for a better demonstration.
No festive blues for the Blues
One team who have emerged from the festive season in ebullient mood are Winsford United, who ended a run of eight games without a win in impressive fashion across the Christmas period.
A tidy 2-0 win over AFC Liverpool in the week leading up to Christmas was a decent start, and they followed that up in fine style with a 4-0 win over tenants 1874 Northwich on Boxing Day, before recording another good 4-2 win in another Cheshire derby at home to Congleton Town on Saturday.
Lee Duckworth’s men now face a tough trip to Stockport County in a Cheshire Cup tie as their next test, but there will be no shortage of confidence in the Blues camp after recent performances.
The only way is up for Town
It’s always tough for a club when a manager leaves and most of the players follow him, so there will be many who can sympathise with Stockport Town’s situation at the moment.
They are certainly not the first non-league club to experience the issue and equally certainly won’t be the last, but for now it’s a case of regrouping and steadying the ship after the 10-0 defeat to City of Liverpool at the weekend.
With plenty of points still to play for, and a mid-table league position giving a cushion from the relegation place, the hope has to be that a revamped Town will soon be a force to be reckoned with once again.
Turnaround for Alport
One club who certainly experienced differing fortunes during 2016 are Whitchurch Alport.
After propping up the table at the end of last season, having won only two league games, progress in the space of a few months has been dramatic to say the least, and Alport begin 2017 at the top of the Division One table after Saturday’s 1-0 win at fellow promotion chasers Alsager Town.
Boasting the meanest defence in the league, Alport are in good shape to build on the positive performances of the past few months, and the struggles of last season are certainly long forgotten.
No problems in the goals department for Sandbach
Sandbach United kept up their hopes of securing a promotion playoff place with a fine 5-1 win at FC Oswestry Town at the weekend.
It was the latest in a series of impressive results for Andy Hockenhull’s men, who have now lost just once in eight games, and they have also demonstrated a healthy ability to conjure up goals from all areas of the squad, with nine different players hitting the back of the net in the last six games.
Goalscoring versatility is an asset that could deliver the goods for United in the shake up at the end of the season.
