Division One Preview - 19th August 2017
Fri 18th August 2017 | General | By Gary Langley
There is a strong looking fixture list in Division One this weekend as clubs start to jostle for position early on and try and stake a claim for that top third of the table. All of the summer talk about re-organisations, lateral moves and so on goes on the back burner as the action on the field takes centre stage.
Starting at the mechanics stadium, AFC Blackpool host Bacup Borough in what looks a mouth-watering affair on the coast. Blackpool have got off to a mixed start, they won 1-3 away over at FC Oswestry last Saturday but on Tuesday they were well beaten at home as Silsden beat them 3-1. Bacup also did well over the weekend with a 3-0 home win over Eccleshall, with both of these clubs under-performing last season both will be keen to stay well clear of the bottom half this season and both may well harbour ambition to be promoted this campaign.
Whitchurch Alport welcome Stockport Town to Yockings Park in a meeting of two of the pre-season fancied teams. These clubs had vastly differing fortunes last weekend with Whitchurch carrying on last season’s excellent form with a comprehensive 5-1 home win over Holker OB, whilst Stockport travelled to Litherland REMYCA and were beaten 4-0. Both fayred well in mid-week as Stockport beat Prestwich Heys 2-1 on Monday night whilst Whitchurch travelled to already-struggling Eccleshall and won 2-0.
Alsager Town and Sandbach United were two strong sides in this division last season and they go head to head at Woodland Court this Saturday. These clubs have also had very different starts so far with Alsager hitting the ground running with two wins straight out of the blocks. They beat Nelson 2-1 last Saturday whilst on Wednesday they travelled to Cheadle Town and came away with another 1-2 win.
For Sandbach they are taking a little while to get going, they went down 1-0 at Silsden last week and then on Wednesday Litherland REMYCA were the visitors in an eventful game and inflicted a successive defeat on Sandbach, 0-2 the score on the night. It’s only early days though and Sandbach clicked into gear last season a few games in and were barely out of the top six for the rest of the campaign.
Prestwich Heys welcome FC Oswestry Town to Adie Moran Park and have carried on where they left off last season being very strong at home, they started their campaign with a 3-0 win over Cammell Laird but were beaten 2-1 away at Stockport Town on Monday evening. FC Oswestry are yet to win following an opening day 1-3 defeat at the hands of AFC Blackpool, they also struggled in midweek going down 3-2 away at Cammell Laird
Two clubs who have struggled in recent seasons go head to head at Crilly Park as Atherton LR host Nelson. There have been many changes on and off the park at LR over the summer with Players in and out as well as new arrivals off the park too. I spoke with Dave Potter before the game and he and Shaun Lynch reckon that LR will be a different side this season and that the expectations within are different too. Whilst LR were narrowly beaten by Cheadle last Saturday I couldn’t disagree with the guys there.
Nelson have had an indifferent start with a good performance albeit in a 2-1 defeat at Alsager last Saturday, they then were beaten convincingly on Monday night at home to Carlisle City. Nelson’s pre-season games were largely under the radar in the summer so for them they will be hoping to get the points on the board early.
Eccleshall finished in a relegation position last season and won a reprieve but their start has been tough up to now and already sit near the foot of the table. They travel to New Mills on Saturday off the back of a 3-0 reverse at Bacup last week and a home defeat to Whitchurch on Wednesday. In brighter news they have come up against two of the fancied sides from the start and they should get ample opportunity over the next few weeks to clock up some points.
For New Mills, they got off to a good start last weekend, a 2-0 win over a St Helens Town side that is looking for a strong season. That momentum stuttered a bit in midweek as Mills’ game at Chadderton was postponed due to ground availability issues. With a strengthened squad and the club steady off the park this could be a good season for the Church Lane Club.
Carlisle City face Silsden this weekend with both sides getting off to good starts. Carlisle had a disappointing opening day with a 0-4 reverse at home to Chadderton, however on Monday night they inflicted the same treatment on Nelson with an impressive looking 0-4 win on the road at Little Wembley. Silsden are one of the early pace setters with a 1-0 win over Sandbach last weekend and a Tuesday night win over AFC Blackpool.
Holker Old Boys welcome League newcomers Abbey Hulton to Rakesmoor with both sides fancied by many observers to do well this season. Holker notched up their first point of the season in midweek with a home 0-0 draw against Atherton LR whilst Abbey Hulton have arrived with momentum behind them following a successful season last time out and they started with come confidence last weekend with a 1-2 away win at Daisy Hill, not an easy place to travel to looking to gain points at all.
Cheadle Town host Daisy Hill with both clubs looking to clock up early points. I watched Cheadle Town last weekend in their 1-2 away win at Atherton LR and despite being a young side, they were organised and if they get some wins under their belt they may really fulfil their potential this season. For Daisy Hill, they are progressing on all fronts at the moment and if they can start as well as they finish seasons they could really have a go when it comes to that top six. A 1-2 home defeat to Abbey Hulton last weekend would obviously have disappointed but with both clubs having potential this could be a great game to watch this weekend.
Division One Preview - 19th August 2017
Fri 18th August 2017 | General
By Gary Langley
There is a strong looking fixture list in Division One this weekend as clubs start to jostle for position early on and try and stake a claim for that top third of the table. All of the summer talk about re-organisations, lateral moves and so on goes on the back burner as the action on the field takes centre stage.
Starting at the mechanics stadium, AFC Blackpool host Bacup Borough in what looks a mouth-watering affair on the coast. Blackpool have got off to a mixed start, they won 1-3 away over at FC Oswestry last Saturday but on Tuesday they were well beaten at home as Silsden beat them 3-1. Bacup also did well over the weekend with a 3-0 home win over Eccleshall, with both of these clubs under-performing last season both will be keen to stay well clear of the bottom half this season and both may well harbour ambition to be promoted this campaign.
Whitchurch Alport welcome Stockport Town to Yockings Park in a meeting of two of the pre-season fancied teams. These clubs had vastly differing fortunes last weekend with Whitchurch carrying on last season’s excellent form with a comprehensive 5-1 home win over Holker OB, whilst Stockport travelled to Litherland REMYCA and were beaten 4-0. Both fayred well in mid-week as Stockport beat Prestwich Heys 2-1 on Monday night whilst Whitchurch travelled to already-struggling Eccleshall and won 2-0.
Alsager Town and Sandbach United were two strong sides in this division last season and they go head to head at Woodland Court this Saturday. These clubs have also had very different starts so far with Alsager hitting the ground running with two wins straight out of the blocks. They beat Nelson 2-1 last Saturday whilst on Wednesday they travelled to Cheadle Town and came away with another 1-2 win.
For Sandbach they are taking a little while to get going, they went down 1-0 at Silsden last week and then on Wednesday Litherland REMYCA were the visitors in an eventful game and inflicted a successive defeat on Sandbach, 0-2 the score on the night. It’s only early days though and Sandbach clicked into gear last season a few games in and were barely out of the top six for the rest of the campaign.
Prestwich Heys welcome FC Oswestry Town to Adie Moran Park and have carried on where they left off last season being very strong at home, they started their campaign with a 3-0 win over Cammell Laird but were beaten 2-1 away at Stockport Town on Monday evening. FC Oswestry are yet to win following an opening day 1-3 defeat at the hands of AFC Blackpool, they also struggled in midweek going down 3-2 away at Cammell Laird
Two clubs who have struggled in recent seasons go head to head at Crilly Park as Atherton LR host Nelson. There have been many changes on and off the park at LR over the summer with Players in and out as well as new arrivals off the park too. I spoke with Dave Potter before the game and he and Shaun Lynch reckon that LR will be a different side this season and that the expectations within are different too. Whilst LR were narrowly beaten by Cheadle last Saturday I couldn’t disagree with the guys there.
Nelson have had an indifferent start with a good performance albeit in a 2-1 defeat at Alsager last Saturday, they then were beaten convincingly on Monday night at home to Carlisle City. Nelson’s pre-season games were largely under the radar in the summer so for them they will be hoping to get the points on the board early.
Eccleshall finished in a relegation position last season and won a reprieve but their start has been tough up to now and already sit near the foot of the table. They travel to New Mills on Saturday off the back of a 3-0 reverse at Bacup last week and a home defeat to Whitchurch on Wednesday. In brighter news they have come up against two of the fancied sides from the start and they should get ample opportunity over the next few weeks to clock up some points.
For New Mills, they got off to a good start last weekend, a 2-0 win over a St Helens Town side that is looking for a strong season. That momentum stuttered a bit in midweek as Mills’ game at Chadderton was postponed due to ground availability issues. With a strengthened squad and the club steady off the park this could be a good season for the Church Lane Club.
Carlisle City face Silsden this weekend with both sides getting off to good starts. Carlisle had a disappointing opening day with a 0-4 reverse at home to Chadderton, however on Monday night they inflicted the same treatment on Nelson with an impressive looking 0-4 win on the road at Little Wembley. Silsden are one of the early pace setters with a 1-0 win over Sandbach last weekend and a Tuesday night win over AFC Blackpool.
Holker Old Boys welcome League newcomers Abbey Hulton to Rakesmoor with both sides fancied by many observers to do well this season. Holker notched up their first point of the season in midweek with a home 0-0 draw against Atherton LR whilst Abbey Hulton have arrived with momentum behind them following a successful season last time out and they started with come confidence last weekend with a 1-2 away win at Daisy Hill, not an easy place to travel to looking to gain points at all.
Cheadle Town host Daisy Hill with both clubs looking to clock up early points. I watched Cheadle Town last weekend in their 1-2 away win at Atherton LR and despite being a young side, they were organised and if they get some wins under their belt they may really fulfil their potential this season. For Daisy Hill, they are progressing on all fronts at the moment and if they can start as well as they finish seasons they could really have a go when it comes to that top six. A 1-2 home defeat to Abbey Hulton last weekend would obviously have disappointed but with both clubs having potential this could be a great game to watch this weekend.
