Permutations and Combinations
Sun 23rd April 2017 | General | By Ian Templeman
Just one more week of league fixtures remaining, and there are still plenty of possible outcomes at the top end of both divisions.
With fixtures each day from Monday to Thursday, before everyone wraps up on Saturday, the potential for drama up to the last kick off the ball remains, and a fascinating week is in prospect.
It's a bit more clear cut as far as the race for the Premier Division is concerned, with Atherton Collieries needing two points from their last two games, which are at home to Abbey Hey on Monday and Runcorn Town on Saturday, to ensure the championship trophy heads to Kensite Stadium.
If Colls win on Monday night, the title is theirs, and if they draw, they will still clinch top spot if Bootle don't win at Runcorn Town on Wednesday.
If Colls lose on Monday and Bootle win on Wednesday, the title race will be completed one way or another on Saturday, with Colls needing to equal or better Bootle's result at home to West Didsbury & Chorlton.
If Colls win the league, Bootle would be favourites to finish as runners-up, but at the moment they could still be overtaken by Runcorn Town, if Town win their last three games - one of which is against Bootle at the Pavilions on Wednesday - and if the Bucks fail to beat West Didsbury & Chorlton on the final day.
As far as the shake up for the finishing positions in the First Division is concerned, it's even more complicated. A deep breath and here goes......
At 3 pm on Saturday, eight teams still had a chance of finishing either in an automatic promotion place or a play-off place, but Saturday's results mean Alsager Town and Prestwich Heys will remain outwith the top six this season.
Widnes now need a point to guarantee promotion, after a 2-1 win over Charnock Richard at the Select Security Stadium moved them to the top of the table for the first time this season.
If Widnes get a point at AFC Blackpool on Tuesday night, promotion is secured, irrespective of other results, but if City of Liverpool beat Charnock Richard on the same night, then Widnes are champions if they beat AFC Blackpool.
Alternatively, if Charnock Richard win at City of Liverpool, they would gain automatic promotion, consigning both City of Liverpool and Litherland REMYCA to the play offs. That result would mean the destination of the First Division title would be decided on Saturday irrespective of the Widnes result on Tuesday.
Widnes host Daisy Hill and Charnock Richard travel to St Helens on the final day.
A draw for Charnock Richard on Tuesday at City of Liverpool would pretty much be enough to secure promotion, as Litherland REMYCA would need to overcome a goal difference of 20 goals to pip them on the final day. REMYCA don't have a midweek game, but play at home to Holker Old Boys on Saturday.
If REMYCA are to go up automatically, they need to beat Holker, and hope Charnock lose their both remaining games, and in addition hope that City of Liverpool lose at Bacup Borough next Saturday.
City of Liverpool are still in with a chance of automatic promotion, but they must win on Tuesday against Charnock Richard and away at Bacup Borough on Saturday, and then rely on two other possible combinations of results, if they are to avoid the play offs.
The first possible option is Charnock Richard losing or drawing at St Helens on the final day.
The second option for the Purples is two Widnes defeats in their last two games, which would see CoL clinch an automatic promotion place at the expense of Widnes on goal difference.
The final two play off places are occupied by Whitchurch Alport and Sandbach United, neither of whom can win automatic promotion.
Alport, however, have plenty still to play for, as two wins in their last two games would take them to 87 points, which could see them finish above Litherland REMYCA or City of Liverpool if either of those two don't win all their remaining games. If that combination of results arises, Alport will have a home tie in the play off semi-final first leg, otherwise they will travel away.
Sandbach United could avoid finishing in sixth place and leap frog over Alport into fifth, if they win both of their remaining games and Alport lose one of theirs. However, United can pretty much resign themselves to an away tie in the play off semi-final, unless a bizarre combination of results and scores take place in the final week, including a 43 goal difference swing between themselves and City of Liverpool.
That's that all cleared up then.....
Permutations and Combinations
Sun 23rd April 2017 | General
By Ian Templeman
Just one more week of league fixtures remaining, and there are still plenty of possible outcomes at the top end of both divisions.
With fixtures each day from Monday to Thursday, before everyone wraps up on Saturday, the potential for drama up to the last kick off the ball remains, and a fascinating week is in prospect.
It's a bit more clear cut as far as the race for the Premier Division is concerned, with Atherton Collieries needing two points from their last two games, which are at home to Abbey Hey on Monday and Runcorn Town on Saturday, to ensure the championship trophy heads to Kensite Stadium.
If Colls win on Monday night, the title is theirs, and if they draw, they will still clinch top spot if Bootle don't win at Runcorn Town on Wednesday.
If Colls lose on Monday and Bootle win on Wednesday, the title race will be completed one way or another on Saturday, with Colls needing to equal or better Bootle's result at home to West Didsbury & Chorlton.
If Colls win the league, Bootle would be favourites to finish as runners-up, but at the moment they could still be overtaken by Runcorn Town, if Town win their last three games - one of which is against Bootle at the Pavilions on Wednesday - and if the Bucks fail to beat West Didsbury & Chorlton on the final day.
As far as the shake up for the finishing positions in the First Division is concerned, it's even more complicated. A deep breath and here goes......
At 3 pm on Saturday, eight teams still had a chance of finishing either in an automatic promotion place or a play-off place, but Saturday's results mean Alsager Town and Prestwich Heys will remain outwith the top six this season.
Widnes now need a point to guarantee promotion, after a 2-1 win over Charnock Richard at the Select Security Stadium moved them to the top of the table for the first time this season.
If Widnes get a point at AFC Blackpool on Tuesday night, promotion is secured, irrespective of other results, but if City of Liverpool beat Charnock Richard on the same night, then Widnes are champions if they beat AFC Blackpool.
Alternatively, if Charnock Richard win at City of Liverpool, they would gain automatic promotion, consigning both City of Liverpool and Litherland REMYCA to the play offs. That result would mean the destination of the First Division title would be decided on Saturday irrespective of the Widnes result on Tuesday.
Widnes host Daisy Hill and Charnock Richard travel to St Helens on the final day.
A draw for Charnock Richard on Tuesday at City of Liverpool would pretty much be enough to secure promotion, as Litherland REMYCA would need to overcome a goal difference of 20 goals to pip them on the final day. REMYCA don't have a midweek game, but play at home to Holker Old Boys on Saturday.
If REMYCA are to go up automatically, they need to beat Holker, and hope Charnock lose their both remaining games, and in addition hope that City of Liverpool lose at Bacup Borough next Saturday.
City of Liverpool are still in with a chance of automatic promotion, but they must win on Tuesday against Charnock Richard and away at Bacup Borough on Saturday, and then rely on two other possible combinations of results, if they are to avoid the play offs.
The first possible option is Charnock Richard losing or drawing at St Helens on the final day.
The second option for the Purples is two Widnes defeats in their last two games, which would see CoL clinch an automatic promotion place at the expense of Widnes on goal difference.
The final two play off places are occupied by Whitchurch Alport and Sandbach United, neither of whom can win automatic promotion.
Alport, however, have plenty still to play for, as two wins in their last two games would take them to 87 points, which could see them finish above Litherland REMYCA or City of Liverpool if either of those two don't win all their remaining games. If that combination of results arises, Alport will have a home tie in the play off semi-final first leg, otherwise they will travel away.
Sandbach United could avoid finishing in sixth place and leap frog over Alport into fifth, if they win both of their remaining games and Alport lose one of theirs. However, United can pretty much resign themselves to an away tie in the play off semi-final, unless a bizarre combination of results and scores take place in the final week, including a 43 goal difference swing between themselves and City of Liverpool.
That's that all cleared up then.....
