Premier Division Preview - Saturday 28th January 2017
Fri 27th January 2017 | General | By Rob Moss
All eyes will be on the pick of Saturday's matches as Atherton Collieries journey up to Cleethorpes in the Buildbase FA Vase fifth round. Cleethorpes sit ten points clear at the top of the Northern Counties East Premier Division, with Colls having lost just once in the last 23 games, so it's expected to be a real clash of titans.
With Colls' attention elsewhere, Bootle will be looking to open up a little space at the top as they travel over to fourth placed Runcorn Town in a real six-pointer. Town are four points shy of top spot after last weekend's draw at Padiham, but with a game in hand against Bootle they're still very much in contention.
Third placed 1874 Northwich take on sixth placed Padiham at Barton Stadium, the Greens having bounced back from their 1-1 draw at Maine Road with a 1-0 victory over Hanley last weekend. Padiham sit 12 points off the leading pack, though their results have transformed since Northwich ran out 3-2 winners at the Arbories back in October.
On paper, Runcorn Linnets look most likely to pick up points at the top with a trip to AFC Darwen, but the East Lancashire side's recent form has seen them pick up ten points from six matches, a far cry from their poor season opening. Darwen's 3-0 win at West Didsbury and Chorlton last week shows just what they are capable of.
Seventh placed AFC Liverpool trek over the hills to Barnoldswick Town who recently appointed Danny Craig as new manager to replace long-time servant of the club Stewart Airdrie. Barlick currently lie in 18th, though with a decent-looking 14-point cushion between them and the drop-zone. Four defeats in five for AFC Liverpool has seen a number of teams snapping at their heels so they'll be looking to turn things around this weekend.
Eighth placed Hanley Town hope to bounce back from defeat at 1874 Northwich last week as they face league strugglers Cammell Laird 1907 at home. Lairds are still without a win this season, having gone down 7-1 against high-flying Bootle last week.
In a match that's very difficult to call, West Didsbury & Chorlton visit Barnton after a tough run of results with defeats at Darwen, Atherton Colls and AFC Liverpool, a 7-goal thriller against New Mills being their only high point of late. As expected of a newly promoted side, Barnton are perhaps one of the more improved teams in the league, having won three out of the last four league games in a season which began slowly.
Mid-table Maine Road play host to strugglers New Mills, a team who have shown themselves more than capable of having the ball in the net at both ends since the appointment of their new management team in mid December - their barmy 7-4 at Nelson came hot on the heels of a 4-3 at West Didsbury. Maine Road's tendency is the exact opposite - scoring just one or two goals while conceding few themselves. An interesting fixture requiring both teams to break those habits.
There's a mid-table battle between Ashton Athletic and Irlam with the former braving the M60 travel woes as they travel over to Greater Manchester. Ashton slightly shade it on recent form, but this should be a tough match to call, and a potential thriller.
In another mid-table battle, Winsford United make the trek up to Squires Gate whose current form looks indifferent until you realise that, amongst other results, they've bagged a point at Runcorn Town and all three at Bootle.
Winsford are currently on fire with a convincing win at Irlam last weekend preceded by three league wins, including a 4-0 in the derby match against 1874 Northwich, and the cruel defeat on penalties against Stockport County in the Cheshire Senior Cup.
Last, but not least, 17th placed Congleton are at home to Nelson who sit in the relegation zone, 11 points short of safety. Congleton have had a tough run of fixtures of late, and will be hoping to bounce back from defeats at the hands of Bootle and, more recently Atherton Colls who beat them 4-0 last Saturday
Premier Division Preview - Saturday 28th January 2017
Fri 27th January 2017 | General
By Rob Moss
All eyes will be on the pick of Saturday's matches as Atherton Collieries journey up to Cleethorpes in the Buildbase FA Vase fifth round. Cleethorpes sit ten points clear at the top of the Northern Counties East Premier Division, with Colls having lost just once in the last 23 games, so it's expected to be a real clash of titans.
With Colls' attention elsewhere, Bootle will be looking to open up a little space at the top as they travel over to fourth placed Runcorn Town in a real six-pointer. Town are four points shy of top spot after last weekend's draw at Padiham, but with a game in hand against Bootle they're still very much in contention.
Third placed 1874 Northwich take on sixth placed Padiham at Barton Stadium, the Greens having bounced back from their 1-1 draw at Maine Road with a 1-0 victory over Hanley last weekend. Padiham sit 12 points off the leading pack, though their results have transformed since Northwich ran out 3-2 winners at the Arbories back in October.
On paper, Runcorn Linnets look most likely to pick up points at the top with a trip to AFC Darwen, but the East Lancashire side's recent form has seen them pick up ten points from six matches, a far cry from their poor season opening. Darwen's 3-0 win at West Didsbury and Chorlton last week shows just what they are capable of.
Seventh placed AFC Liverpool trek over the hills to Barnoldswick Town who recently appointed Danny Craig as new manager to replace long-time servant of the club Stewart Airdrie. Barlick currently lie in 18th, though with a decent-looking 14-point cushion between them and the drop-zone. Four defeats in five for AFC Liverpool has seen a number of teams snapping at their heels so they'll be looking to turn things around this weekend.
Eighth placed Hanley Town hope to bounce back from defeat at 1874 Northwich last week as they face league strugglers Cammell Laird 1907 at home. Lairds are still without a win this season, having gone down 7-1 against high-flying Bootle last week.
In a match that's very difficult to call, West Didsbury & Chorlton visit Barnton after a tough run of results with defeats at Darwen, Atherton Colls and AFC Liverpool, a 7-goal thriller against New Mills being their only high point of late. As expected of a newly promoted side, Barnton are perhaps one of the more improved teams in the league, having won three out of the last four league games in a season which began slowly.
Mid-table Maine Road play host to strugglers New Mills, a team who have shown themselves more than capable of having the ball in the net at both ends since the appointment of their new management team in mid December - their barmy 7-4 at Nelson came hot on the heels of a 4-3 at West Didsbury. Maine Road's tendency is the exact opposite - scoring just one or two goals while conceding few themselves. An interesting fixture requiring both teams to break those habits.
There's a mid-table battle between Ashton Athletic and Irlam with the former braving the M60 travel woes as they travel over to Greater Manchester. Ashton slightly shade it on recent form, but this should be a tough match to call, and a potential thriller.
In another mid-table battle, Winsford United make the trek up to Squires Gate whose current form looks indifferent until you realise that, amongst other results, they've bagged a point at Runcorn Town and all three at Bootle.
Winsford are currently on fire with a convincing win at Irlam last weekend preceded by three league wins, including a 4-0 in the derby match against 1874 Northwich, and the cruel defeat on penalties against Stockport County in the Cheshire Senior Cup.
Last, but not least, 17th placed Congleton are at home to Nelson who sit in the relegation zone, 11 points short of safety. Congleton have had a tough run of fixtures of late, and will be hoping to bounce back from defeats at the hands of Bootle and, more recently Atherton Colls who beat them 4-0 last Saturday
