Round up - Friday 14th and Saturday 15th April 2017
Sat 15th April 2017 | General | By Ian Templeman
The busy run in to the end of the season continued, with games on Good Friday and Easter Saturday delivering results that affected the movers and shakers at the top and bottom of both divisions.
In the Premier Division, Atherton Collieries took a crucial step towards clinching the title with a priceless 2-1 win at 1874 Northwich.
Scott McGowan had given the home side an 18th minute lead, but a Mark Battersby penalty brought Colls level at half time, and Ben Hardcastle struck a vital winner with eight minutes remaining.
It was a win that moved Colls five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand over Runcorn Linnets in second place, who kept up the pressure on Colls with a 1-0 win over Maine Road, Daniel McKenna scoring the only goal of the game.
Bootle kept in touch with the top two, their 3-1 at home to Nelson keeping them eight points behind Colls but with a game in hand.
An own goal set the Bucks on the way, and two further goals from Cameron Dalton sealed a result that keeps them in touch at the top, but pretty much ended Nelson's hopes of avoiding relegation barring a massive change in fortunes.
The same can also be said of New Mills, whose slim hopes of beating the drop took another blow when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Cammell Laird 1907.
Kiarno Samms gave the Millers the lead on the half hour, but James Ashton levelled in the second half for Lairds.
Those two results were good news for AFC Darwen, who took another step towards safety with a pointy from a 1-1 draw at home to Hanley Town.
In fact, when Nicholas Hepple gave Darwen the lead with five minutes to go, had they held out for a 1-0 win the result would have relegated Nelson and left New Mills needing a miracle, but an 89th minute equaliser from Hanley's Joshua Thorpe left both clubs still in with a mathematical chance of avoiding the drop at Darwen's expense.
Elsewhere, two second half goals from Saul Henderson and a penalty from Matty Kay saw West Didsbury & Chorlton turn a 1-0 half time deficit into a 3-1 win at Barnoldswick Town, and a goal in the 83rd minute from Steven Mills secured a 2-1 win for Irlam on their first ever visit to Congleton Town.
The race for automatic promotion and play off places in the First Division, continues to be too close to call, with some swapping of league positions taking place after results on both Friday and Saturday.
An uncharacteristic stumble by City of Liverpool saw them drop a point at St Helens Town on Friday after twice taking the lead through an own goal and a strike from John Connolly. Alexander Gillespie replied for Town in the first half, but the Purples held the lead until six minutes from time when Joel Douglas equalised.
That result allowed Charnock Richard, Widnes and Litherland REMYCA to extend their lead over their Merseyside rivals by recording victories on Saturday.
Charnock Richard are top of the table after a Carl Grimshaw hat trick saw them through to a 3-0 win at Prestwich Heys, and Widnes are a point behind in second place after a 5-0 win over Eccleshall, in which William Webb set them on their way with two first half goals.
The fixture between the two clubs at the Select Security Stadium next Saturday could go a long way to deciding the fate of both clubs at the end of the season.
Litherland REMYCA are in third place after a first half blitz propelled them to a 4-1 home win over Alsager Town.
Colin Quirk, Stephen Ferrigan, James McGrane and Michael Boyle were on target by the 40th minute for Remy before Mark Grice pulled a consolation goal back for Alsager, and the result now means the Bullets are relying on other slipping up if they are to make the play offs.
Bacup Borough dealt Whitchurch Alport's automatic promotion hopes a blow by holding them to a goalless draw at the Brian Boys West View Stadium, and Sandbach United are now looking a good bet for the play offs after a 4-1 home win over FC Oswestry Town, in which Boris Melingui scored a hat trick.
Both Cumbrian clubs suffered home defeats, with a Matthew Crothers goal sending Carlisle City down to a 1-0 loss against Chadderton, while a last minute winner from Mark Trueman ensured Silsden travelled back to West Yorkshire with all three points from a 2-1 win at Holker Old Boys.
Ashley Woodhead's second half equaliser meant Atherton LR took another important step towards avoiding finishing in the relegation places with a 1-1 draw at AFC Blackpool, and on Good Friday Rhys Webb scored twice in Cheadle Town's 5-1 derby win over Stockport Town at the Stockport Sports Village.
Round up - Friday 14th and Saturday 15th April 2017
Sat 15th April 2017 | General
By Ian Templeman
The busy run in to the end of the season continued, with games on Good Friday and Easter Saturday delivering results that affected the movers and shakers at the top and bottom of both divisions.
In the Premier Division, Atherton Collieries took a crucial step towards clinching the title with a priceless 2-1 win at 1874 Northwich.
Scott McGowan had given the home side an 18th minute lead, but a Mark Battersby penalty brought Colls level at half time, and Ben Hardcastle struck a vital winner with eight minutes remaining.
It was a win that moved Colls five points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand over Runcorn Linnets in second place, who kept up the pressure on Colls with a 1-0 win over Maine Road, Daniel McKenna scoring the only goal of the game.
Bootle kept in touch with the top two, their 3-1 at home to Nelson keeping them eight points behind Colls but with a game in hand.
An own goal set the Bucks on the way, and two further goals from Cameron Dalton sealed a result that keeps them in touch at the top, but pretty much ended Nelson's hopes of avoiding relegation barring a massive change in fortunes.
The same can also be said of New Mills, whose slim hopes of beating the drop took another blow when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Cammell Laird 1907.
Kiarno Samms gave the Millers the lead on the half hour, but James Ashton levelled in the second half for Lairds.
Those two results were good news for AFC Darwen, who took another step towards safety with a pointy from a 1-1 draw at home to Hanley Town.
In fact, when Nicholas Hepple gave Darwen the lead with five minutes to go, had they held out for a 1-0 win the result would have relegated Nelson and left New Mills needing a miracle, but an 89th minute equaliser from Hanley's Joshua Thorpe left both clubs still in with a mathematical chance of avoiding the drop at Darwen's expense.
Elsewhere, two second half goals from Saul Henderson and a penalty from Matty Kay saw West Didsbury & Chorlton turn a 1-0 half time deficit into a 3-1 win at Barnoldswick Town, and a goal in the 83rd minute from Steven Mills secured a 2-1 win for Irlam on their first ever visit to Congleton Town.
The race for automatic promotion and play off places in the First Division, continues to be too close to call, with some swapping of league positions taking place after results on both Friday and Saturday.
An uncharacteristic stumble by City of Liverpool saw them drop a point at St Helens Town on Friday after twice taking the lead through an own goal and a strike from John Connolly. Alexander Gillespie replied for Town in the first half, but the Purples held the lead until six minutes from time when Joel Douglas equalised.
That result allowed Charnock Richard, Widnes and Litherland REMYCA to extend their lead over their Merseyside rivals by recording victories on Saturday.
Charnock Richard are top of the table after a Carl Grimshaw hat trick saw them through to a 3-0 win at Prestwich Heys, and Widnes are a point behind in second place after a 5-0 win over Eccleshall, in which William Webb set them on their way with two first half goals.
The fixture between the two clubs at the Select Security Stadium next Saturday could go a long way to deciding the fate of both clubs at the end of the season.
Litherland REMYCA are in third place after a first half blitz propelled them to a 4-1 home win over Alsager Town.
Colin Quirk, Stephen Ferrigan, James McGrane and Michael Boyle were on target by the 40th minute for Remy before Mark Grice pulled a consolation goal back for Alsager, and the result now means the Bullets are relying on other slipping up if they are to make the play offs.
Bacup Borough dealt Whitchurch Alport's automatic promotion hopes a blow by holding them to a goalless draw at the Brian Boys West View Stadium, and Sandbach United are now looking a good bet for the play offs after a 4-1 home win over FC Oswestry Town, in which Boris Melingui scored a hat trick.
Both Cumbrian clubs suffered home defeats, with a Matthew Crothers goal sending Carlisle City down to a 1-0 loss against Chadderton, while a last minute winner from Mark Trueman ensured Silsden travelled back to West Yorkshire with all three points from a 2-1 win at Holker Old Boys.
Ashley Woodhead's second half equaliser meant Atherton LR took another important step towards avoiding finishing in the relegation places with a 1-1 draw at AFC Blackpool, and on Good Friday Rhys Webb scored twice in Cheadle Town's 5-1 derby win over Stockport Town at the Stockport Sports Village.
