Premier Division Preview - 25th March 2017
Fri 24th March 2017 | General | By Gary Langley
PREMIER DIVISION PREVIEW 25th MARCH 2017
It’s still completely up in the air at both ends of the Hallmark Security League table and as has been proven in recent weeks, anyone can beat anyone, this has been proven with a few notable results of late. Of course as well as the unpredictability of form there is also the weather to content with, however, Spring Officially arrived in midweek so that must mean the weather this weekend will be splendid?
This weekend there are some massive fixtures affecting both Promotion and relegation candidates, indeed by 5:00pm on Saturday one or two things may well be more clear as the usual high level of tension and drama that makes up the 2016-17 Hallmark Security League Premier Division season returns. With the drama of non-leagues deadline having passed on Thursday, clubs now have their squads in place so now it’s down to the head to head battles to define where the glory will lie.
The action starts on Friday night at the Marine Travel Arena for the err AFC Derby, as AFC Liverpool host AFC Darwen. AFC Liverpool currently sit in sixth whilst Darwen are currently nineteenth in the table but are ten points clear of New Mills in twentieth. Darwen will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 4-1 away defeat to Cammell Laird 1907 whilst AFC Liverpool are asking fans to wear red in honour of Liverpool Stalwart Ronnie Moran who passed away in the week.
As we move to the Saturday there is a near full programme of matches and the biggest game of the day takes place at the Delta Taxi’s Stadium as Bootle welcome Runcorn Linnets in a top of the table battle that will test the promotion credentials of both sides. Bootle host Linnets with the home side a point and a place behind the visitors. Bootle have three games in hand on them though but have played an equal amount of games as leaders Atherton Collieries. The permutations of this game are massive, a Bootle win really keeps the pressure on Colls' and puts the likely brakes on Runcorn Linnets title hopes. Whilst a Linnets win really keeps them up there as contenders, albeit slight outsiders for the title. These two clubs are also at the top end of the form table too, this really is the classic "six pointer"!
Atherton Collieries face Ashton Athletic at the Kensite Stadium. Both Colls' and Ashton Athletic were thwarted by the weather in midweek which frustrated both parties and makes the leaders title run in hectic to say the least with four games in ten days scheduled for the beginning of April alone. Atherton returned to winning ways last weekend with a 1-0 win at Maine Road which returned them to the top three of the form table having taken a dent the previous week when Runcorn Town turned them over at Pavilions, a result that had been their first league defeat since September.
Ashton Athletic are a fair way down the form table, this despite having played some decent football and recording some decent results as Tuesday night's win over a strong Padiham is testament to that. Defeating Chorley in the Lancashire Challenge Cup as well as running Linnets close in a recent league game and taking Bootle to extra time in the Macron Cup Quarter final shows that this will be a tough test of Colls' character.
Over at the Silentnight Stadium Barnoldswick Town host Congleton Town with Barlick’ in good form at the moment, unbeaten in their last five in all competitions. Congleton are without a win over the same amount of games, shipping sixteen goals in the process. Coupon buster alert!
1874 Northwich are not out of the race yet although they will really have to go some to win the league, this task already looks hard enough and that’s even before they travel to Padiham. Padiham had been flying up until the New Year, however 2017 hasn't been too kind to them with just two wins in the eight games they have played, one of those was just a couple of weeks ago at today's opponents. By their own high standards 1874 have been off the boil of late and this has played a part in the recent departure of long-time manager, Ian Street. One win in their last five games in all competitions, that being a 4-1 home win over Witton in the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup sees them really looking for a morale boost. They're not technically out of the title race although it would take a serious set of results between now and May to see that happen.
There are strong permutations for both Runcorn Town and New Mills this weekend as they go head to head at Pavilions. Runcorn Town are another club that for a long time had looked like they were going to challenge but they too have drifted back into the contending pack. Town welcome second from bottom New Mills to Pavilions who notched up their first league win since September recently against Winsford. They will be looking to pick themselves up and dust down after two consecutive defeats to Irlam and Barnoldswick respectively. In the process they could really heap the pressure on their opponents who are starting to drift off in the survival race.
Winsford United take on Squires gate at the St Lukes Barton Stadium. Winsford met Squires Gate only a couple of weeks back up at the Brian Addison Stadium and fought out a hard worked for 3-3 draw which had everyone including late drama in it. Indeed it was Winsford's last fixture due to recent postponements. Since that encounter Squires Gate hosted West Didsbury and Chorlton who turned them over 3-1 so they will be keen to put a couple of tough recent results behind them as well as just clock up the three or four points that should see them safe from any trouble.
Nelson welcome Hanley Town to Little Wembley with three points a must for the East Lancashire side who find themselves ten points adrift of safety. Nelson’s run-in is not a mission impossible although they do face two of the top five, however they also face a number of sides around them, including the two clubs below them. Hanley Town have had only one defeat in their last five and had been in good form until a surprise 2-1 defeat in midweek at Cammell Laird as the Birkenhead clubs mini-revival continued.
In an all Manchester affair, West Didsbury and Chorlton host Abbey Hey, with both sides in respectable positions in upper mid table although there's barely a results difference between them in the points chart. The same goes for the form table as both clubs are almost identical in that as well. More than local pride to play for though as both of these clubs have strong run-ins and will have a big say on who finishes where in the top six. Fans attending this game may notice an even more youthful appearance at the hipster favoured club as West hold a youth takeover day as West's youth teams take over key roles at the club for the day (with a little help).
Premier Division Preview - 25th March 2017
Fri 24th March 2017 | General
By Gary Langley
PREMIER DIVISION PREVIEW 25th MARCH 2017
It’s still completely up in the air at both ends of the Hallmark Security League table and as has been proven in recent weeks, anyone can beat anyone, this has been proven with a few notable results of late. Of course as well as the unpredictability of form there is also the weather to content with, however, Spring Officially arrived in midweek so that must mean the weather this weekend will be splendid?
This weekend there are some massive fixtures affecting both Promotion and relegation candidates, indeed by 5:00pm on Saturday one or two things may well be more clear as the usual high level of tension and drama that makes up the 2016-17 Hallmark Security League Premier Division season returns. With the drama of non-leagues deadline having passed on Thursday, clubs now have their squads in place so now it’s down to the head to head battles to define where the glory will lie.
The action starts on Friday night at the Marine Travel Arena for the err AFC Derby, as AFC Liverpool host AFC Darwen. AFC Liverpool currently sit in sixth whilst Darwen are currently nineteenth in the table but are ten points clear of New Mills in twentieth. Darwen will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 4-1 away defeat to Cammell Laird 1907 whilst AFC Liverpool are asking fans to wear red in honour of Liverpool Stalwart Ronnie Moran who passed away in the week.
As we move to the Saturday there is a near full programme of matches and the biggest game of the day takes place at the Delta Taxi’s Stadium as Bootle welcome Runcorn Linnets in a top of the table battle that will test the promotion credentials of both sides. Bootle host Linnets with the home side a point and a place behind the visitors. Bootle have three games in hand on them though but have played an equal amount of games as leaders Atherton Collieries. The permutations of this game are massive, a Bootle win really keeps the pressure on Colls' and puts the likely brakes on Runcorn Linnets title hopes. Whilst a Linnets win really keeps them up there as contenders, albeit slight outsiders for the title. These two clubs are also at the top end of the form table too, this really is the classic "six pointer"!
Atherton Collieries face Ashton Athletic at the Kensite Stadium. Both Colls' and Ashton Athletic were thwarted by the weather in midweek which frustrated both parties and makes the leaders title run in hectic to say the least with four games in ten days scheduled for the beginning of April alone. Atherton returned to winning ways last weekend with a 1-0 win at Maine Road which returned them to the top three of the form table having taken a dent the previous week when Runcorn Town turned them over at Pavilions, a result that had been their first league defeat since September.
Ashton Athletic are a fair way down the form table, this despite having played some decent football and recording some decent results as Tuesday night's win over a strong Padiham is testament to that. Defeating Chorley in the Lancashire Challenge Cup as well as running Linnets close in a recent league game and taking Bootle to extra time in the Macron Cup Quarter final shows that this will be a tough test of Colls' character.
Over at the Silentnight Stadium Barnoldswick Town host Congleton Town with Barlick’ in good form at the moment, unbeaten in their last five in all competitions. Congleton are without a win over the same amount of games, shipping sixteen goals in the process. Coupon buster alert!
1874 Northwich are not out of the race yet although they will really have to go some to win the league, this task already looks hard enough and that’s even before they travel to Padiham. Padiham had been flying up until the New Year, however 2017 hasn't been too kind to them with just two wins in the eight games they have played, one of those was just a couple of weeks ago at today's opponents. By their own high standards 1874 have been off the boil of late and this has played a part in the recent departure of long-time manager, Ian Street. One win in their last five games in all competitions, that being a 4-1 home win over Witton in the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup sees them really looking for a morale boost. They're not technically out of the title race although it would take a serious set of results between now and May to see that happen.
There are strong permutations for both Runcorn Town and New Mills this weekend as they go head to head at Pavilions. Runcorn Town are another club that for a long time had looked like they were going to challenge but they too have drifted back into the contending pack. Town welcome second from bottom New Mills to Pavilions who notched up their first league win since September recently against Winsford. They will be looking to pick themselves up and dust down after two consecutive defeats to Irlam and Barnoldswick respectively. In the process they could really heap the pressure on their opponents who are starting to drift off in the survival race.
Winsford United take on Squires gate at the St Lukes Barton Stadium. Winsford met Squires Gate only a couple of weeks back up at the Brian Addison Stadium and fought out a hard worked for 3-3 draw which had everyone including late drama in it. Indeed it was Winsford's last fixture due to recent postponements. Since that encounter Squires Gate hosted West Didsbury and Chorlton who turned them over 3-1 so they will be keen to put a couple of tough recent results behind them as well as just clock up the three or four points that should see them safe from any trouble.
Nelson welcome Hanley Town to Little Wembley with three points a must for the East Lancashire side who find themselves ten points adrift of safety. Nelson’s run-in is not a mission impossible although they do face two of the top five, however they also face a number of sides around them, including the two clubs below them. Hanley Town have had only one defeat in their last five and had been in good form until a surprise 2-1 defeat in midweek at Cammell Laird as the Birkenhead clubs mini-revival continued.
In an all Manchester affair, West Didsbury and Chorlton host Abbey Hey, with both sides in respectable positions in upper mid table although there's barely a results difference between them in the points chart. The same goes for the form table as both clubs are almost identical in that as well. More than local pride to play for though as both of these clubs have strong run-ins and will have a big say on who finishes where in the top six. Fans attending this game may notice an even more youthful appearance at the hipster favoured club as West hold a youth takeover day as West's youth teams take over key roles at the club for the day (with a little help).
