Premier Division Preview - 4th March 2017
Fri 3rd March 2017 | General | By Patrick Burke
The Hallmark Security League Premier Division is hotting up at both ends of the table. Another ten games this weekend could prove pivotal at the end of the season.
Atherton Collieries have the opportunity to make top spot their own and move six points clear at the summit.
Last weekend’s 5-0 victory over Congleton Town followed up wins against fellow title challengers Bootle and 1874 Northwich, with a startling statistic being that Colls haven’t conceded a goal in their last five league outings.
Standing in their way of breathing space are in-form Winsford United. Lee Duckworth’s men may have lost last time out at AFC Liverpool, but that was a solitary defeat in eight league matches. The run, which has seen them claim four points from 1874 Northwich and Runcorn Linnets, puts Winsford in 11th place and means they are only looking up.
With second placed Bootle not in action, the three sides below them will seek to make up ground on the Bucks.
Having played the most out of the top five, 3rd placed Runcorn Linnets know there is not much room for error in their remaining ten games. The first of those sees Ashton Athletic make the trip to the Millbank Linnets Stadium, just two weeks after Michael Ellison’s team won 3-0 at Brocstedes Park.
They have lost just once in their last eleven league fixtures. 12th placed Athletic are blowing hot and cold at the minute, the defeat to Linnets coming off the back of a 3-0 win against New Mills and a 1-1 draw against Cammell Laird 1907 on home soil.
On level points with Linnets but with two games in hand, 1874 Northwich welcome Padiham on Saturday hoping to bounce back from a defeat at Colls last time out. Their form at home should provide them with encouragement, Ian Street’s side winning their last five at the St Luke’s Barton Stadium. That run will be tested against 7th placed Padiham.
The Storks are on a four game winless run, drawing at Lairds a fortnight ago after previously tasting defeat on Merseyside at AFC Liverpool and Bootle. However, Steve Wilkes’ men were one of the form teams in the division at the back end of 2016, so will hope for a return to winning ways here.
Dropping points in four of their last six league games has seen Runcorn Town slip to 5th, but they remain well involved in the race for promotion: they have played fewer games than all of their rivals and still possess 43-goal star striker Craig Cairns in their ranks.
Cairns et al travel to 18th placed Barnoldswick Town on Saturday, the hosts picking up two draws and two defeats since the turn of the year, as Danny Craig anticipates his first home game as manager. This one is scheduled for a 2pm kick-off.
6th placed AFC Liverpool appear to have recovered from a bit of a wobble, taking seven points from their last nine having lost six of their previous seven.
Squires Gate visit the Marine Travel Arena this weekend, the sides playing out a contender for game of the season back in December, when Kevin Dally’s Reds were 5-4 victors on the Fylde Coast. A goalless draw at Barnton two weeks ago ended Gate’s three game losing streak, and keeps them in 16th place.
One of the success stories of this season has been that of 8th placed Hanley Town, and they recorded a 2-2 draw against AFC Liverpool last weekend in Michael Edwards’ first game in charge. Last year’s top marksman Theo Stair scored his first goal since returning to the club, and his team travel to bottom side Cammell Laird 1907 on Saturday.
Despite their lowly league position, Lairds have been good value for creditable draws at Ashton Athletic and against Padiham in their last two matches. Mick McGraa’s men will look to go one better to pick up that long-awaited league victory to go alongside an FA Cup triumph over AFC Darwen.
Two other teams who are thriving this season go head-to-head at the Hinchliffe Homes Stadium as Barnton entertain Abbey Hey. The 17th placed Villagers have lost just one of their last nine league games on home soil, and to sit 17 points clear of the bottom three at this stage is a remarkable achievement for Steve Lloyd’s side.
After achieving their highest ever finish of 10th last season, Abbey Hey are currently in exactly the same position. They are just six points off sixth place with games in hand, although recent form has been a little inconsistent - just one win from their last four.
13th placed Irlam are another newly promoted side who have taken Premier Division football in their stride, and AFC Darwen are the visitors to the Ambitek Stadium this weekend.
Seven games without a win was Irlam’s most barren run of the season, but that came to an end with a 3-2 win at Maine Road in their last match. Fourth-from-bottom Darwen are nine points clear of the drop zone, so they will hope that a 9-0 thrashing at Bootle has been cleared from their system, especially as they recorded their biggest victory of the season – 3-0 against West Didsbury – prior to that. They will aim to return to those levels here.
Defeat to Irlam was Maine Road’s fourth on the bounce, and a run of just one win from their last nine games has seen Chris Hirst’s team slide down to 14th. Three points would be a welcome boost, though it will not be easy as they host a New Mills side fighting for their lives.
Although the Millers have dropped to 21st place, performances under Calum Sykes have by all accounts been an improvement. They were two minutes from a shock victory at Bootle, eventually losing 3-2, and Nathan Neequaye and Sam Marshall have been in great form since Sykes took over, both scoring three times. However, they will be aware that they need to get points on the board sooner rather than later.
Last but not least, an inconsistent Congleton Town face an improving Nelson. Re-signing Scott McGowan from 1874 Northwich will be a huge bonus for 15th placed Congleton as they seek to bounce back from a 5-0 defeat at Colls last weekend.
Nelson remain third from bottom, but drawing 1-1 with Runcorn Town shows how far they have come in recent weeks. With six goals in his last five games, Jay Hart is showing the kind for form that made him top scorer for champions Colne last season, so they will be hoping he can continue to make a difference in their fight against relegation.
We’re now in early March, so let’s keep everything crossed that the stormy weather has now passed, and what looks a very exciting weekend of action doesn’t disintegrate before our eyes!
Premier Division Preview - 4th March 2017
Fri 3rd March 2017 | General
By Patrick Burke
The Hallmark Security League Premier Division is hotting up at both ends of the table. Another ten games this weekend could prove pivotal at the end of the season.
Atherton Collieries have the opportunity to make top spot their own and move six points clear at the summit.
Last weekend’s 5-0 victory over Congleton Town followed up wins against fellow title challengers Bootle and 1874 Northwich, with a startling statistic being that Colls haven’t conceded a goal in their last five league outings.
Standing in their way of breathing space are in-form Winsford United. Lee Duckworth’s men may have lost last time out at AFC Liverpool, but that was a solitary defeat in eight league matches. The run, which has seen them claim four points from 1874 Northwich and Runcorn Linnets, puts Winsford in 11th place and means they are only looking up.
With second placed Bootle not in action, the three sides below them will seek to make up ground on the Bucks.
Having played the most out of the top five, 3rd placed Runcorn Linnets know there is not much room for error in their remaining ten games. The first of those sees Ashton Athletic make the trip to the Millbank Linnets Stadium, just two weeks after Michael Ellison’s team won 3-0 at Brocstedes Park.
They have lost just once in their last eleven league fixtures. 12th placed Athletic are blowing hot and cold at the minute, the defeat to Linnets coming off the back of a 3-0 win against New Mills and a 1-1 draw against Cammell Laird 1907 on home soil.
On level points with Linnets but with two games in hand, 1874 Northwich welcome Padiham on Saturday hoping to bounce back from a defeat at Colls last time out. Their form at home should provide them with encouragement, Ian Street’s side winning their last five at the St Luke’s Barton Stadium. That run will be tested against 7th placed Padiham.
The Storks are on a four game winless run, drawing at Lairds a fortnight ago after previously tasting defeat on Merseyside at AFC Liverpool and Bootle. However, Steve Wilkes’ men were one of the form teams in the division at the back end of 2016, so will hope for a return to winning ways here.
Dropping points in four of their last six league games has seen Runcorn Town slip to 5th, but they remain well involved in the race for promotion: they have played fewer games than all of their rivals and still possess 43-goal star striker Craig Cairns in their ranks.
Cairns et al travel to 18th placed Barnoldswick Town on Saturday, the hosts picking up two draws and two defeats since the turn of the year, as Danny Craig anticipates his first home game as manager. This one is scheduled for a 2pm kick-off.
6th placed AFC Liverpool appear to have recovered from a bit of a wobble, taking seven points from their last nine having lost six of their previous seven.
Squires Gate visit the Marine Travel Arena this weekend, the sides playing out a contender for game of the season back in December, when Kevin Dally’s Reds were 5-4 victors on the Fylde Coast. A goalless draw at Barnton two weeks ago ended Gate’s three game losing streak, and keeps them in 16th place.
One of the success stories of this season has been that of 8th placed Hanley Town, and they recorded a 2-2 draw against AFC Liverpool last weekend in Michael Edwards’ first game in charge. Last year’s top marksman Theo Stair scored his first goal since returning to the club, and his team travel to bottom side Cammell Laird 1907 on Saturday.
Despite their lowly league position, Lairds have been good value for creditable draws at Ashton Athletic and against Padiham in their last two matches. Mick McGraa’s men will look to go one better to pick up that long-awaited league victory to go alongside an FA Cup triumph over AFC Darwen.
Two other teams who are thriving this season go head-to-head at the Hinchliffe Homes Stadium as Barnton entertain Abbey Hey. The 17th placed Villagers have lost just one of their last nine league games on home soil, and to sit 17 points clear of the bottom three at this stage is a remarkable achievement for Steve Lloyd’s side.
After achieving their highest ever finish of 10th last season, Abbey Hey are currently in exactly the same position. They are just six points off sixth place with games in hand, although recent form has been a little inconsistent - just one win from their last four.
13th placed Irlam are another newly promoted side who have taken Premier Division football in their stride, and AFC Darwen are the visitors to the Ambitek Stadium this weekend.
Seven games without a win was Irlam’s most barren run of the season, but that came to an end with a 3-2 win at Maine Road in their last match. Fourth-from-bottom Darwen are nine points clear of the drop zone, so they will hope that a 9-0 thrashing at Bootle has been cleared from their system, especially as they recorded their biggest victory of the season – 3-0 against West Didsbury – prior to that. They will aim to return to those levels here.
Defeat to Irlam was Maine Road’s fourth on the bounce, and a run of just one win from their last nine games has seen Chris Hirst’s team slide down to 14th. Three points would be a welcome boost, though it will not be easy as they host a New Mills side fighting for their lives.
Although the Millers have dropped to 21st place, performances under Calum Sykes have by all accounts been an improvement. They were two minutes from a shock victory at Bootle, eventually losing 3-2, and Nathan Neequaye and Sam Marshall have been in great form since Sykes took over, both scoring three times. However, they will be aware that they need to get points on the board sooner rather than later.
Last but not least, an inconsistent Congleton Town face an improving Nelson. Re-signing Scott McGowan from 1874 Northwich will be a huge bonus for 15th placed Congleton as they seek to bounce back from a 5-0 defeat at Colls last weekend.
Nelson remain third from bottom, but drawing 1-1 with Runcorn Town shows how far they have come in recent weeks. With six goals in his last five games, Jay Hart is showing the kind for form that made him top scorer for champions Colne last season, so they will be hoping he can continue to make a difference in their fight against relegation.
We’re now in early March, so let’s keep everything crossed that the stormy weather has now passed, and what looks a very exciting weekend of action doesn’t disintegrate before our eyes!
