First Division Preview - 14th and 15th April
Fri 14th April 2017 | Match Reviews | By Martin Fallon
The most exciting conclusion to a First Division season for many years continues this weekend, with most clubs in action twice over what is a packed Easter weekend of football.
The action starts this afternoon with two games taking place, the first of which is the “Stockport Derby” as Stockport Town take on neighbours Cheadle Town (1.00pm kick off). Just six miles separate the two clubs, with this being the fifth derby since Stockport joined the league last season. It’s two wins apiece so far, with Cheadle looking to complete the double after a 2-0 win on Boxing Day.
Town have won just three of their last six games, the latest being in their last game ten days ago when they won 2-0 at Atherton LR. This has seen them slip to 10th place in the league, although this form is coupled with a host of recent away games. Manager Dave Wild is actually unbeaten at Stockport Sports Village, winning five and drawing one of his six games there.
Cheadle come into the game in poor form also, their 2-2 draw at home to AFC Blackpool last Saturday ending a run of four straight losses. This has dropped them to 16th place, and they will be looking to end the season on a positive note as they plan for next season.
The other Good Friday game sees St Helens Town taking on City of Liverpool at Prescot Cables’ ground (3.00pm kick off). The Purples will be looking to complete a league double over Town' after a 5-1 win in September at Prescot, with them also winning 3-0 in the Reusch Cup Quarter Finals.
St Helens Town have found things tough this season and are in 12th place in the league, their continued nomadic status working against them, but they have just two games at Prescot after this before returning home in August. They were soundly beaten 8-0 at Widnes last Saturday, but bounced back to win 5-2 at Chadderton on Tuesday, showing what they are capable of on their day.
City of Liverpool are the First Division’s leading goalscorers as well as having the meanest defence, and they come into this game having won eight and drawn one of their last nine league games. They have dropped to third in the league due to other results midweek, but a win will see them return to top spot.
Onto Easter Saturday, and there are eight fixtures in the division to cast your eyes over. Basement boys Ashton Town are not in action until Easter Sunday, but Eccleshall are level on points with them at the bottom and have the opportunity to put a little daylight between the two sides. It couldn’t be tougher for them though, as they have an away trip at second placed Widnes.
Joey Dunn’s men have been in simply stunning form of late, winning their last nine league games, and not conceding a goal in 461 minutes of football. A win could see them top the league for the first time this season, but promotion is the aim and they will achieve a league double if they take all three points after a 3-1 win in Staffordshire in August.
Last season saw Dean Twigg’s stoppage time penalty secure a 2-1 win for Eccleshall at the Select Security Stadium, and they will be looking for a repeat. But they have not won a game since beating Atherton LR 2-1 in January, and current form of one draw and ten losses since then indicate that it will be a difficult afternoon as they look to secure vital points.
Current league leaders are Charnock Richard, who are top of the form guide alongside Widnes. One win from five games at the turn of the year plummeted them down the table, but they have bounced back tremendously with eight wins and a draw from their last nine games. They secured their biggest NWCFL win midweek with an 8-0 win over Holker Old Boys, and they will be looking for a league double over fellow new boys Prestwich Heys.
Heys have everything to play for themselves, sitting in seventh place at present just three points behind Sandbach United who occupy the final play-off position. Their run in is tough, but they have lost just one of their last four games and come into the game on the back of a 3-2 win at Bacup Borough midweek. And with wins so far this season against City of Liverpool, Litherland REMYCA and Whitchurch Alport, they will be confident of another good win.
Whitchurch Alport are in fourth place, three points behind the leaders, and they face a long trip to Bacup Borough. This won’t concern them though, with their last three away games all resulting in wins with 19 goals scored! They secured their biggest NWCFL win midweek with a 9-0 victory at Ashton Town, and they will be looking to complete the double with following a 3-0 win at Yockings Park last month.
Brent Peters will be disappointed in his side’s 18th place position at present, and they come into the game following a 2-1 win at Ashton Town last weekend. A 3-2 loss at home to Prestwich Heys followed in midweek, but Bacup’s last five games are all at the Brian Boys West View Stadium and they will be looking to finish the season with a good run of form.
Litherland REMYCA started last Saturday top of the table, but no game in the last ten days have seen them drop to fifth, four points off top, with other teams taking advantage. Their last game saw them beat Sandbach United 2-0, and Phil Stafford will be hoping the rest has recharged his player’s batteries. They face Alsager Town at home this weekend, and will be looking to complete the double after a 3-0 win at Litherland Sports Park at the start of last month.
Since that loss, Alsager have won just two of their eight games played, and they have lost all of their last five games. This run of form has come at the worst possible time, and they now find themselves out of the play-off’s where they have spent most of the season. They have five games remaining, and are seven points behind Sandbach with a slightly better goal difference.
Speaking of Sandbach, they have hit form at the right time, and just three losses from the 14 league games they have played in 2017 sees them occupy that vital final promotion spot with five games remaining. It has been a tremendous first season in the NWCFL for Sandbach, reaching the Reusch Cup Final in May with crowds increasing every home game. They have won their last two, and they will be confident of a win against an FC Oswestry Town side that they beat 5-1 on New Year’s Eve.
Oswestry are also in their first season in the league, but having stepped up from the Mercian League which is a few leagues lower than us, a 13th place position at present will be considered a great achievement for them. Oswestry lost 4-5 at home to Chadderton last Saturday, one of a number of extraordinary scorelines they have been involved in this season including a 6-6 and an 11-0! They also went down 3-2 at Daisy Hill midweek, and will be looking to end their first season in the league with good performances in their final five games.
The final new team this season we haven’t mentioned yet are Carlisle City, and they have a home game against Chadderton this weekend. It’s been a learning curve this season for Carlisle, and they come into this game on the back of a 5-3 win over Alsager Town on Tuesday night and having lost just one of their last five games. Their previous meeting with Chadderton saw them lose 4-0, but they will be confident of evening the score in the head-to-head count.
Chadderton will have no doubt have one eye on Thursday’s Macron Cup Semi Final Second Leg, and they will be looking to bounce back after losing 5-2 at home to St Helens Town in midweek. They are actually better away from home at present, where they are unbeaten in four matches, and will be looking for their ninth away win in the league this season.
In contrast to all of the new sides we have mentioned so far, AFC Blackpool face Atherton LR this weekend, with both of these sides founder members of the league back in 1982. AFC Blackpool have just one home league win to their name this season, that coming in January against Sandbach United, and since then, they have played ten games and won just one.
Similarly LR have lost 13 games on the road this season, with only Ashton Town losing more. LR have played 12 times in 2017, and have won just two of those, losing the other ten. More concerning for Shaun Lynch is the fact that his team has scored just eight goals in those 12 games, and it will likely be a low scoring affair on Saturday. The previous meeting this season saw Blackpool come out on top 2-1.
The final league game on Saturday sees Holker Old Boys face Silsden. It’s one win apiece this season, with Silsden winning the league fixture in August and Holker winning the Reusch Cup meeting in November. Holker come into the game in poor form and on the back of an 8-0 loss at Charnock on Tuesday. Looking further back, they have won just twice in the league in 2017, with both of those coming back in January.
In comparison, Silsden are in good form having won their previous three league games before losing narrowly away at Widnes on Tuesday. After relegation last season, they may be disappointed with their current 11th place, but they will be looking to finish their season off in style with five games that they are more than capable of winning.
Easter Sunday and Monday games for the First Division will be reviewed on Sunday morning.
First Division Preview - 14th and 15th April
Fri 14th April 2017 | Match Reviews
By Martin Fallon
The most exciting conclusion to a First Division season for many years continues this weekend, with most clubs in action twice over what is a packed Easter weekend of football.
The action starts this afternoon with two games taking place, the first of which is the “Stockport Derby” as Stockport Town take on neighbours Cheadle Town (1.00pm kick off). Just six miles separate the two clubs, with this being the fifth derby since Stockport joined the league last season. It’s two wins apiece so far, with Cheadle looking to complete the double after a 2-0 win on Boxing Day.
Town have won just three of their last six games, the latest being in their last game ten days ago when they won 2-0 at Atherton LR. This has seen them slip to 10th place in the league, although this form is coupled with a host of recent away games. Manager Dave Wild is actually unbeaten at Stockport Sports Village, winning five and drawing one of his six games there.
Cheadle come into the game in poor form also, their 2-2 draw at home to AFC Blackpool last Saturday ending a run of four straight losses. This has dropped them to 16th place, and they will be looking to end the season on a positive note as they plan for next season.
The other Good Friday game sees St Helens Town taking on City of Liverpool at Prescot Cables’ ground (3.00pm kick off). The Purples will be looking to complete a league double over Town' after a 5-1 win in September at Prescot, with them also winning 3-0 in the Reusch Cup Quarter Finals.
St Helens Town have found things tough this season and are in 12th place in the league, their continued nomadic status working against them, but they have just two games at Prescot after this before returning home in August. They were soundly beaten 8-0 at Widnes last Saturday, but bounced back to win 5-2 at Chadderton on Tuesday, showing what they are capable of on their day.
City of Liverpool are the First Division’s leading goalscorers as well as having the meanest defence, and they come into this game having won eight and drawn one of their last nine league games. They have dropped to third in the league due to other results midweek, but a win will see them return to top spot.
Onto Easter Saturday, and there are eight fixtures in the division to cast your eyes over. Basement boys Ashton Town are not in action until Easter Sunday, but Eccleshall are level on points with them at the bottom and have the opportunity to put a little daylight between the two sides. It couldn’t be tougher for them though, as they have an away trip at second placed Widnes.
Joey Dunn’s men have been in simply stunning form of late, winning their last nine league games, and not conceding a goal in 461 minutes of football. A win could see them top the league for the first time this season, but promotion is the aim and they will achieve a league double if they take all three points after a 3-1 win in Staffordshire in August.
Last season saw Dean Twigg’s stoppage time penalty secure a 2-1 win for Eccleshall at the Select Security Stadium, and they will be looking for a repeat. But they have not won a game since beating Atherton LR 2-1 in January, and current form of one draw and ten losses since then indicate that it will be a difficult afternoon as they look to secure vital points.
Current league leaders are Charnock Richard, who are top of the form guide alongside Widnes. One win from five games at the turn of the year plummeted them down the table, but they have bounced back tremendously with eight wins and a draw from their last nine games. They secured their biggest NWCFL win midweek with an 8-0 win over Holker Old Boys, and they will be looking for a league double over fellow new boys Prestwich Heys.
Heys have everything to play for themselves, sitting in seventh place at present just three points behind Sandbach United who occupy the final play-off position. Their run in is tough, but they have lost just one of their last four games and come into the game on the back of a 3-2 win at Bacup Borough midweek. And with wins so far this season against City of Liverpool, Litherland REMYCA and Whitchurch Alport, they will be confident of another good win.
Whitchurch Alport are in fourth place, three points behind the leaders, and they face a long trip to Bacup Borough. This won’t concern them though, with their last three away games all resulting in wins with 19 goals scored! They secured their biggest NWCFL win midweek with a 9-0 victory at Ashton Town, and they will be looking to complete the double with following a 3-0 win at Yockings Park last month.
Brent Peters will be disappointed in his side’s 18th place position at present, and they come into the game following a 2-1 win at Ashton Town last weekend. A 3-2 loss at home to Prestwich Heys followed in midweek, but Bacup’s last five games are all at the Brian Boys West View Stadium and they will be looking to finish the season with a good run of form.
Litherland REMYCA started last Saturday top of the table, but no game in the last ten days have seen them drop to fifth, four points off top, with other teams taking advantage. Their last game saw them beat Sandbach United 2-0, and Phil Stafford will be hoping the rest has recharged his player’s batteries. They face Alsager Town at home this weekend, and will be looking to complete the double after a 3-0 win at Litherland Sports Park at the start of last month.
Since that loss, Alsager have won just two of their eight games played, and they have lost all of their last five games. This run of form has come at the worst possible time, and they now find themselves out of the play-off’s where they have spent most of the season. They have five games remaining, and are seven points behind Sandbach with a slightly better goal difference.
Speaking of Sandbach, they have hit form at the right time, and just three losses from the 14 league games they have played in 2017 sees them occupy that vital final promotion spot with five games remaining. It has been a tremendous first season in the NWCFL for Sandbach, reaching the Reusch Cup Final in May with crowds increasing every home game. They have won their last two, and they will be confident of a win against an FC Oswestry Town side that they beat 5-1 on New Year’s Eve.
Oswestry are also in their first season in the league, but having stepped up from the Mercian League which is a few leagues lower than us, a 13th place position at present will be considered a great achievement for them. Oswestry lost 4-5 at home to Chadderton last Saturday, one of a number of extraordinary scorelines they have been involved in this season including a 6-6 and an 11-0! They also went down 3-2 at Daisy Hill midweek, and will be looking to end their first season in the league with good performances in their final five games.
The final new team this season we haven’t mentioned yet are Carlisle City, and they have a home game against Chadderton this weekend. It’s been a learning curve this season for Carlisle, and they come into this game on the back of a 5-3 win over Alsager Town on Tuesday night and having lost just one of their last five games. Their previous meeting with Chadderton saw them lose 4-0, but they will be confident of evening the score in the head-to-head count.
Chadderton will have no doubt have one eye on Thursday’s Macron Cup Semi Final Second Leg, and they will be looking to bounce back after losing 5-2 at home to St Helens Town in midweek. They are actually better away from home at present, where they are unbeaten in four matches, and will be looking for their ninth away win in the league this season.
In contrast to all of the new sides we have mentioned so far, AFC Blackpool face Atherton LR this weekend, with both of these sides founder members of the league back in 1982. AFC Blackpool have just one home league win to their name this season, that coming in January against Sandbach United, and since then, they have played ten games and won just one.
Similarly LR have lost 13 games on the road this season, with only Ashton Town losing more. LR have played 12 times in 2017, and have won just two of those, losing the other ten. More concerning for Shaun Lynch is the fact that his team has scored just eight goals in those 12 games, and it will likely be a low scoring affair on Saturday. The previous meeting this season saw Blackpool come out on top 2-1.
The final league game on Saturday sees Holker Old Boys face Silsden. It’s one win apiece this season, with Silsden winning the league fixture in August and Holker winning the Reusch Cup meeting in November. Holker come into the game in poor form and on the back of an 8-0 loss at Charnock on Tuesday. Looking further back, they have won just twice in the league in 2017, with both of those coming back in January.
In comparison, Silsden are in good form having won their previous three league games before losing narrowly away at Widnes on Tuesday. After relegation last season, they may be disappointed with their current 11th place, but they will be looking to finish their season off in style with five games that they are more than capable of winning.
Easter Sunday and Monday games for the First Division will be reviewed on Sunday morning.
