Premier Division Preview - 16th and 17th April
Sun 16th April 2017 | Match Reviews | By Martin Fallon
The Hallmark Security League Easter Weekend continues over the next two days, with the Groundhop taking centre stage with two Premier Division games on Easter Sunday.
The action kicks off at the unusually early time of 11.30am at Brocstedes Park as Ashton Athletic host Squires Gate. It's the only Easter game for both sides, with Ashton looking to bounce back to winning ways after losing at home to Abbey Hey on Thursday. That brought to an end a five game unbeaten run, the highlight of which was winning the Lancashire Trophy twelve days ago.
Ashton are tenth at the moment, and a top ten finish will be in their sights, especially with the first meeting ending 1-1 on Boxing Day. For Squires Gate, they have had a disappointing season, losing more than half of their 38 games, and they need one more win to retain their Premier Division status.
The second Groundhop game is at Ashton Town at 2.30pm (see the First Division preview!), before we move onto Runcorn Town at 6.00pm when they entertain Barnton. It's a first ever league meeting at Pavilions, with Town looking to continue their fine form which has seen them lose just three home games this season. A draw at Ashton midweek ended their title challenge, but they will want to finish the season strongly.
Barnton have achieved three promotions in the last four seasons, and consolidation was their aim. Having passed ground grading, they require a point to secure their Premier Division status, and they will hope to get it this afternoon. They come into the game unbeaten in their last two, including a 1-1 draw at home to Abbey Hey midweek last time out.
Onto tomorrow's games, and the Groundhop concludes with three more Premier Division fixtures. The first is at Atherton Collieries as they entertain AFC Darwen with an 11.00am kick off at the Kensite Stadium. Colls have won their last four games 2-1 as they close in on the Premier Division title, and they have lost just one of their last 16 home games. Colls need eight more points to secure the title, and three points here would go a long way.
As for AFC Darwen, they are after points for a very different reason as they look to survive the drop. They are nine points clear of the third relegation spot, and three points here would see them virtually safe. They have not won for six games though, and conceded with two minutes left on Saturday to draw at home to Hanley Town. Colls won the first game 5-1 back in September.
After Colls, the Groundhop convoy travels to Manchester as West Didsbury & Chorlton host Congleton Town, kick off 2.45pm. West came from behind to win 3-1 at Barnoldswick Town on Saturday, and a top ten finish is firmly in their sights. West have a remarkable record this season, winning and losing the same number of games home and away, and they will be looking for a win in their penultimate home game.
Congleton will be looking to complete a league double with a win, but come into the game without a win in their last nine games stretching back to early February. It's been a disappointing season for the Bears, who are currently in 16th in the league table, and they come into the game having lost 2-1 at home to Irlam on Saturday.
The final Groundhop game sees Maine Road host Abbey Hey at Brantingham Road, kick off 5.45pm. Maine Road have dropped to 14th in the league having lost five of their last six games including a 1-0 reverse at Runcorn Linnets on Saturday. Most of those have been away though, and they have won two of their last three at home including a 2-0 win over Padiham in their last home game.
Abbey Hey are unbeaten in three league games and beat Ashton Athletic in their last game last Thursday. That was their first win in a month though, and they sit two places above Maine Road in the league. Back in September, Maine Road won this fixture with a last minute Nico Collins goal, and they will be looking to complete the double with a win.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division, there are six other games, with Runcorn Linnets looking to keep the pressure on Colls at the top as they travel to Hanley Town. Linnets have won ten and drew two of their last twelve league games since losing at home to Hanley in their first game of 2017, including wins in their last eight games. On the road they have been even more impressive, with wins at 1874 Northwich, Bootle and Atherton Collieries in that sequence.
Hanley are eighth after a great first season following promotion last season, but their win at Linnets is the only time they have beaten a top five side, with the rest ending in losses. They come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw at AFC Darwen on Saturday, and have not won for three games.
AFC Liverpool host Bootle in a Merseyside Derby, with Bootle also needing a win to put pressure on Colls. The Reds have not won in their last four games and drew 2-2 at Cammell Laird 1907 on Tuesday evening in their last game, a result that sees them in 11th place in the league table. Emini Adegbenro is their form player at present, scoring seven goals in their last seven games.
Bootle are the league's leading goalscorers having scored 122 goals in their 37 games, and they are eight points behind the league leaders with a game in hand. They lost to Barnoldswick Town in both Semi Final legs of the Macron Cup, but in league action they have lost only twice in 14 games, those coming against the league's current top two. On Saturday they beat Nelson 3-1 at home.
That defeat for Nelson means they are eleven points from safety with four games remaining, so anything less than a win at home to Padiham on Saturday means they will be relegated. Nelson have won just one of their last ten games, and it's been a disappointing season for them with just five wins. Just two of those have come at home, the last being back in January against New Mills.
Padiham sit in sixth place, and after a disappointing start to 2017, have bounced back well having won their last four games. More pleasing for Steve Wilkes will be that they have scored 12 goals in those games, with seven different players scoring. Padiham have had more time to prepare for this game, their last outing coming last Wednesday with a 2-1 win at AFC Darwen.
New Mills will also get relegated on Monday if they lose and Darwen pick up a point in the early kick off. The Millers have had a dreadful season after dropping from the EvoStik last season, and have won just six times this season. Fortunately for them, five of those have come at home where they entertain Barnoldswick Town tomorrow, and they have won three of their last four home games.
Barnoldswick won the reverse fixture in August, and their defeat at home to West Didsbury on Saturday was their fourth successive loss in the league. Their Macron Cup win over Bootle though shows what they are capable of, and their 15th place position in the league is coupled with the same number of home and away wins.
1874 Northwich's defeat to Colls on Saturday rules them out of the title race, and they are seven points adrift of the top four now after winning just one of their last five league games. It's "Landlords v Tenants" as they face Winsford United on Monday, with Winsford looking for a double after stunning 1874 with a 4-0 win on Boxing Day. However 1874 have a 100% record out of the 'away' dressing room at the Barton Stadium, and they will be looking to end the season by winning their last four league games.
Winsford occupy the "unlucky" 13th position, and they have picked up just one point from their last four league games. Three of those losses have come at home, where they have picked up half of their wins this season. The Blues have five games remaining, four of which come at home, so they will be looking to finish the season in style.
Our final game sees Irlam take on Cammell Laird 1907 at the Ambitek Stadium. Irlam are in their first Premier Division season, and are in seventh place, five points clear of Hanley below them. It's been a superb season for Steve Nixon and his young team, and they are one of the form sides in the league having won seven of their last eight games including a 2-1 win at Congleton on Saturday.
Speaking of form sides, Lairds may be bottom of the league and already relegated, but they are unbeaten in their last five league games and are finishing the season in determined fashion. Their last two games have seen them come from behind to draw with AFC Liverpool and New Mills, whilst their last away game saw them draw at Nelson. Lairds have just three games left, but strangely they have yet to face Irlam, with the return fixture coming on the final day of the season.
Premier Division Preview - 16th and 17th April
Sun 16th April 2017 | Match Reviews
By Martin Fallon
The Hallmark Security League Easter Weekend continues over the next two days, with the Groundhop taking centre stage with two Premier Division games on Easter Sunday.
The action kicks off at the unusually early time of 11.30am at Brocstedes Park as Ashton Athletic host Squires Gate. It's the only Easter game for both sides, with Ashton looking to bounce back to winning ways after losing at home to Abbey Hey on Thursday. That brought to an end a five game unbeaten run, the highlight of which was winning the Lancashire Trophy twelve days ago.
Ashton are tenth at the moment, and a top ten finish will be in their sights, especially with the first meeting ending 1-1 on Boxing Day. For Squires Gate, they have had a disappointing season, losing more than half of their 38 games, and they need one more win to retain their Premier Division status.
The second Groundhop game is at Ashton Town at 2.30pm (see the First Division preview!), before we move onto Runcorn Town at 6.00pm when they entertain Barnton. It's a first ever league meeting at Pavilions, with Town looking to continue their fine form which has seen them lose just three home games this season. A draw at Ashton midweek ended their title challenge, but they will want to finish the season strongly.
Barnton have achieved three promotions in the last four seasons, and consolidation was their aim. Having passed ground grading, they require a point to secure their Premier Division status, and they will hope to get it this afternoon. They come into the game unbeaten in their last two, including a 1-1 draw at home to Abbey Hey midweek last time out.
Onto tomorrow's games, and the Groundhop concludes with three more Premier Division fixtures. The first is at Atherton Collieries as they entertain AFC Darwen with an 11.00am kick off at the Kensite Stadium. Colls have won their last four games 2-1 as they close in on the Premier Division title, and they have lost just one of their last 16 home games. Colls need eight more points to secure the title, and three points here would go a long way.
As for AFC Darwen, they are after points for a very different reason as they look to survive the drop. They are nine points clear of the third relegation spot, and three points here would see them virtually safe. They have not won for six games though, and conceded with two minutes left on Saturday to draw at home to Hanley Town. Colls won the first game 5-1 back in September.
After Colls, the Groundhop convoy travels to Manchester as West Didsbury & Chorlton host Congleton Town, kick off 2.45pm. West came from behind to win 3-1 at Barnoldswick Town on Saturday, and a top ten finish is firmly in their sights. West have a remarkable record this season, winning and losing the same number of games home and away, and they will be looking for a win in their penultimate home game.
Congleton will be looking to complete a league double with a win, but come into the game without a win in their last nine games stretching back to early February. It's been a disappointing season for the Bears, who are currently in 16th in the league table, and they come into the game having lost 2-1 at home to Irlam on Saturday.
The final Groundhop game sees Maine Road host Abbey Hey at Brantingham Road, kick off 5.45pm. Maine Road have dropped to 14th in the league having lost five of their last six games including a 1-0 reverse at Runcorn Linnets on Saturday. Most of those have been away though, and they have won two of their last three at home including a 2-0 win over Padiham in their last home game.
Abbey Hey are unbeaten in three league games and beat Ashton Athletic in their last game last Thursday. That was their first win in a month though, and they sit two places above Maine Road in the league. Back in September, Maine Road won this fixture with a last minute Nico Collins goal, and they will be looking to complete the double with a win.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division, there are six other games, with Runcorn Linnets looking to keep the pressure on Colls at the top as they travel to Hanley Town. Linnets have won ten and drew two of their last twelve league games since losing at home to Hanley in their first game of 2017, including wins in their last eight games. On the road they have been even more impressive, with wins at 1874 Northwich, Bootle and Atherton Collieries in that sequence.
Hanley are eighth after a great first season following promotion last season, but their win at Linnets is the only time they have beaten a top five side, with the rest ending in losses. They come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw at AFC Darwen on Saturday, and have not won for three games.
AFC Liverpool host Bootle in a Merseyside Derby, with Bootle also needing a win to put pressure on Colls. The Reds have not won in their last four games and drew 2-2 at Cammell Laird 1907 on Tuesday evening in their last game, a result that sees them in 11th place in the league table. Emini Adegbenro is their form player at present, scoring seven goals in their last seven games.
Bootle are the league's leading goalscorers having scored 122 goals in their 37 games, and they are eight points behind the league leaders with a game in hand. They lost to Barnoldswick Town in both Semi Final legs of the Macron Cup, but in league action they have lost only twice in 14 games, those coming against the league's current top two. On Saturday they beat Nelson 3-1 at home.
That defeat for Nelson means they are eleven points from safety with four games remaining, so anything less than a win at home to Padiham on Saturday means they will be relegated. Nelson have won just one of their last ten games, and it's been a disappointing season for them with just five wins. Just two of those have come at home, the last being back in January against New Mills.
Padiham sit in sixth place, and after a disappointing start to 2017, have bounced back well having won their last four games. More pleasing for Steve Wilkes will be that they have scored 12 goals in those games, with seven different players scoring. Padiham have had more time to prepare for this game, their last outing coming last Wednesday with a 2-1 win at AFC Darwen.
New Mills will also get relegated on Monday if they lose and Darwen pick up a point in the early kick off. The Millers have had a dreadful season after dropping from the EvoStik last season, and have won just six times this season. Fortunately for them, five of those have come at home where they entertain Barnoldswick Town tomorrow, and they have won three of their last four home games.
Barnoldswick won the reverse fixture in August, and their defeat at home to West Didsbury on Saturday was their fourth successive loss in the league. Their Macron Cup win over Bootle though shows what they are capable of, and their 15th place position in the league is coupled with the same number of home and away wins.
1874 Northwich's defeat to Colls on Saturday rules them out of the title race, and they are seven points adrift of the top four now after winning just one of their last five league games. It's "Landlords v Tenants" as they face Winsford United on Monday, with Winsford looking for a double after stunning 1874 with a 4-0 win on Boxing Day. However 1874 have a 100% record out of the 'away' dressing room at the Barton Stadium, and they will be looking to end the season by winning their last four league games.
Winsford occupy the "unlucky" 13th position, and they have picked up just one point from their last four league games. Three of those losses have come at home, where they have picked up half of their wins this season. The Blues have five games remaining, four of which come at home, so they will be looking to finish the season in style.
Our final game sees Irlam take on Cammell Laird 1907 at the Ambitek Stadium. Irlam are in their first Premier Division season, and are in seventh place, five points clear of Hanley below them. It's been a superb season for Steve Nixon and his young team, and they are one of the form sides in the league having won seven of their last eight games including a 2-1 win at Congleton on Saturday.
Speaking of form sides, Lairds may be bottom of the league and already relegated, but they are unbeaten in their last five league games and are finishing the season in determined fashion. Their last two games have seen them come from behind to draw with AFC Liverpool and New Mills, whilst their last away game saw them draw at Nelson. Lairds have just three games left, but strangely they have yet to face Irlam, with the return fixture coming on the final day of the season.
