Division One Preview - Saturday 16th September 2017
Fri 15th September 2017 | Match Reviews | By Patrick Burke
As we move into the second half of September, we are beginning to see that once again it’s going to be a case of anyone can beat anyone in the Hallmark Security League First Division this season.
This will be an important weekend of action, with all 22 clubs in action and four of the current top six facing each other.
The first of those games is at the Cobbydale Construction Stadium, where league leaders Silsden will look to continue their blistering start against a Cheadle Town side who have also begun well.
With a 100% record in league and cup action, Danny Forrest’s team will go into this one full of belief, especially as they have only conceded once in their first three home fixtures and are four points clear at the summit.
As for Cheadle, a late victory over Abbey Hulton United last time out in the league moved them up to 6th in the table, so new manager Anthony Trucca will be pleased with how his side have started.
They have also won their first three away games in the league, including a fine 3-1 victory at Sandbach United, and a 3-0 win at Silsden on the last day of last season should give them confidence going into this tough assignment.
The second is at Litherland Sports Park, with 3rd placed Litherland REMYCA hosting 2nd placed Whitchurch Alport.
Both these teams finished in the play-off places last season, and the way they have started this time around suggests they will be there or thereabouts once again.
Paul McNally’s REMYCA have won their last four matches in all competitions and conceded just once in that time; they will need their defence to be on top form on Saturday, with Alport the division’s joint-top scorers and Ben Mills leading the way with nine goals so far. Luke Goddard’s men are unbeaten in the league to date, so this promises to be a highly entertaining match-up.
Also in the top six after a strong start are Alsager Town, and they will seek to extend their winning run to five matches away at Daisy Hill on Saturday.
The home team lie 17th in the table, but they will hope that an excellent 2-0 victory against Chadderton in their last league outing is the result that kick-starts their season.
However it will be tough against the Bullets, who sit 4th after just one defeat in their opening seven First Division matches – and that loss was a narrow one away at front-runners Silsden.
After failing to win their first three matches, Sandbach United are beginning to show the form that saw them accumulate 80 points last year, with four wins from their last five propelling them up to 5th place.
They beat Chadderton 4-2 in the only First Division game last weekend, with a Ryan Brooke brace taking his tally for the season up to seven goals. He will clearly be one for visitors Bacup Borough to watch, but Brent Peters’ team have had a solid start themselves, losing just once to sit 8th in the table.
That defeat was against Cammell Laird 1907 in their last match, which was now two weeks ago, so they will be eager to return to action, especially having taken seven points from nine on the road.
Prestwich Heys had an almost perfect August, winning four of their five games, but have struggled to replicate that form in September, losing all three matches.
Despite that, Heys remain 7th in the standings and have already found the net 18 times in the league since the start of the season, so they are still in a nice position. They travel to 18th placed Eccleshall this weekend, the hosts looking for a response after going down 3-2 to Ellistown in the FA Vase last Saturday.
Their last league outing saw them come from two goals down to draw with Chadderton, and the last six games for Paul Snape’s team have all been close encounters. After beating St Helens Town at the end of August, they will hope that their second victory of the season is not too far away.
Newcomers Abbey Hulton United have made a very reasonable start to life in the First Division, perched in 9th place and only suffering their first set-back with a late defeat at Cheadle in their last match.
Carlisle City are the visitors for the second Hallmark Security League fixture at Birches Head Road, and they will make the long journey south off the back of three wins from their last four. James Tose’s side are 11th, and look as though they will be a difficult team for anyone to face this year.
There is an interesting clash in prospect at Church Lane, where a New Mills team who are strong at home face an AFC Blackpool team with an impeccable away record. The Millers are 10th, but have only lost once on their own patch since Calum Sykes took charge last December, and have gained ten points from four home fixtures so far this season, beating Holker Old Boys 7-2 a fortnight ago.
As for 13th placed AFC Blackpool, they have had a very strange start to their season: they have lost all their games at the Mechanics Ground, but won all three on the road, including a terrific triumph at Prestwich Heys in their last league game. This is certainly a difficult one to call!
Stockport Town have enjoyed a mixed start to their campaign, sitting 12th in the table. Dave Wild’s team impressively knocked Premier Division Northwich Victoria out of the FA Vase last Friday, so they will hope that the result can spur them on ahead of their trip to Nelson.
It’s been a testing opening to the season for the recently relegated Admirals, and they lie in 20th spot having taken just one point from their first six matches. Yesterday, they announced the departure of manager Paul Fildes, but they have some good players in the squad and will hope to climb the table soon.
Atherton LR welcome Chadderton to Crilly Park with the sides separated by just two places and two points, and both looking for a return to winning ways. Shaun Lynch’s LR picked up their first victories of the season over Cammell Laird 1907 and St Helens Town, but have since lost two close league encounters against high-flying Alsager Town and Silsden. They lie 14th.
As for Chadderton, they started the season off superbly with a 4-0 triumph at Carlisle City, but they haven’t tasted victory since and are 16th in the table. They come into this match having suffered back-to-back defeats, but the 3-3 draw at Litherland REMYCA at the end of August shows that they have the quality to test anyone in the division.
The same might be said of Cammell Laird 1907, who are currently 15th but have undoubtedly improved in September. Lairds ended Bacup’s unbeaten record with a 1-0 away win, before competing well with Whitchurch Alport in a 2-2 draw.
They were knocked out of the FA Vase at Maltby Main last weekend, but are back in league action on Saturday, with 19th placed Holker Old Boys the visitors to the North West Construction Stadium.
They should be buoyed after picking up their first win of the season against Nelson in their last league outing, although they were beaten at Garforth Town in the FA Vase last Saturday.
Finally for this weekend, the two teams still waiting to get off the mark go head-to-head as St Helens Town travel to FC Oswestry Town.
Oswestry currently prop up the table after losing their first seven league games, whilst St Helens have been beaten in their first six and are second-bottom. However, by all accounts, both have seen their displays pick up of late, so it may not be too long before their results follow suit.
You’re spoilt for choice this week as far as the First Division goes, so pick a game and go and watch some affordable football at any one of our clubs!
Division One Preview - Saturday 16th September 2017
Fri 15th September 2017 | Match Reviews
By Patrick Burke
As we move into the second half of September, we are beginning to see that once again it’s going to be a case of anyone can beat anyone in the Hallmark Security League First Division this season.
This will be an important weekend of action, with all 22 clubs in action and four of the current top six facing each other.
The first of those games is at the Cobbydale Construction Stadium, where league leaders Silsden will look to continue their blistering start against a Cheadle Town side who have also begun well.
With a 100% record in league and cup action, Danny Forrest’s team will go into this one full of belief, especially as they have only conceded once in their first three home fixtures and are four points clear at the summit.
As for Cheadle, a late victory over Abbey Hulton United last time out in the league moved them up to 6th in the table, so new manager Anthony Trucca will be pleased with how his side have started.
They have also won their first three away games in the league, including a fine 3-1 victory at Sandbach United, and a 3-0 win at Silsden on the last day of last season should give them confidence going into this tough assignment.
The second is at Litherland Sports Park, with 3rd placed Litherland REMYCA hosting 2nd placed Whitchurch Alport.
Both these teams finished in the play-off places last season, and the way they have started this time around suggests they will be there or thereabouts once again.
Paul McNally’s REMYCA have won their last four matches in all competitions and conceded just once in that time; they will need their defence to be on top form on Saturday, with Alport the division’s joint-top scorers and Ben Mills leading the way with nine goals so far. Luke Goddard’s men are unbeaten in the league to date, so this promises to be a highly entertaining match-up.
Also in the top six after a strong start are Alsager Town, and they will seek to extend their winning run to five matches away at Daisy Hill on Saturday.
The home team lie 17th in the table, but they will hope that an excellent 2-0 victory against Chadderton in their last league outing is the result that kick-starts their season.
However it will be tough against the Bullets, who sit 4th after just one defeat in their opening seven First Division matches – and that loss was a narrow one away at front-runners Silsden.
After failing to win their first three matches, Sandbach United are beginning to show the form that saw them accumulate 80 points last year, with four wins from their last five propelling them up to 5th place.
They beat Chadderton 4-2 in the only First Division game last weekend, with a Ryan Brooke brace taking his tally for the season up to seven goals. He will clearly be one for visitors Bacup Borough to watch, but Brent Peters’ team have had a solid start themselves, losing just once to sit 8th in the table.
That defeat was against Cammell Laird 1907 in their last match, which was now two weeks ago, so they will be eager to return to action, especially having taken seven points from nine on the road.
Prestwich Heys had an almost perfect August, winning four of their five games, but have struggled to replicate that form in September, losing all three matches.
Despite that, Heys remain 7th in the standings and have already found the net 18 times in the league since the start of the season, so they are still in a nice position. They travel to 18th placed Eccleshall this weekend, the hosts looking for a response after going down 3-2 to Ellistown in the FA Vase last Saturday.
Their last league outing saw them come from two goals down to draw with Chadderton, and the last six games for Paul Snape’s team have all been close encounters. After beating St Helens Town at the end of August, they will hope that their second victory of the season is not too far away.
Newcomers Abbey Hulton United have made a very reasonable start to life in the First Division, perched in 9th place and only suffering their first set-back with a late defeat at Cheadle in their last match.
Carlisle City are the visitors for the second Hallmark Security League fixture at Birches Head Road, and they will make the long journey south off the back of three wins from their last four. James Tose’s side are 11th, and look as though they will be a difficult team for anyone to face this year.
There is an interesting clash in prospect at Church Lane, where a New Mills team who are strong at home face an AFC Blackpool team with an impeccable away record. The Millers are 10th, but have only lost once on their own patch since Calum Sykes took charge last December, and have gained ten points from four home fixtures so far this season, beating Holker Old Boys 7-2 a fortnight ago.
As for 13th placed AFC Blackpool, they have had a very strange start to their season: they have lost all their games at the Mechanics Ground, but won all three on the road, including a terrific triumph at Prestwich Heys in their last league game. This is certainly a difficult one to call!
Stockport Town have enjoyed a mixed start to their campaign, sitting 12th in the table. Dave Wild’s team impressively knocked Premier Division Northwich Victoria out of the FA Vase last Friday, so they will hope that the result can spur them on ahead of their trip to Nelson.
It’s been a testing opening to the season for the recently relegated Admirals, and they lie in 20th spot having taken just one point from their first six matches. Yesterday, they announced the departure of manager Paul Fildes, but they have some good players in the squad and will hope to climb the table soon.
Atherton LR welcome Chadderton to Crilly Park with the sides separated by just two places and two points, and both looking for a return to winning ways. Shaun Lynch’s LR picked up their first victories of the season over Cammell Laird 1907 and St Helens Town, but have since lost two close league encounters against high-flying Alsager Town and Silsden. They lie 14th.
As for Chadderton, they started the season off superbly with a 4-0 triumph at Carlisle City, but they haven’t tasted victory since and are 16th in the table. They come into this match having suffered back-to-back defeats, but the 3-3 draw at Litherland REMYCA at the end of August shows that they have the quality to test anyone in the division.
The same might be said of Cammell Laird 1907, who are currently 15th but have undoubtedly improved in September. Lairds ended Bacup’s unbeaten record with a 1-0 away win, before competing well with Whitchurch Alport in a 2-2 draw.
They were knocked out of the FA Vase at Maltby Main last weekend, but are back in league action on Saturday, with 19th placed Holker Old Boys the visitors to the North West Construction Stadium.
They should be buoyed after picking up their first win of the season against Nelson in their last league outing, although they were beaten at Garforth Town in the FA Vase last Saturday.
Finally for this weekend, the two teams still waiting to get off the mark go head-to-head as St Helens Town travel to FC Oswestry Town.
Oswestry currently prop up the table after losing their first seven league games, whilst St Helens have been beaten in their first six and are second-bottom. However, by all accounts, both have seen their displays pick up of late, so it may not be too long before their results follow suit.
You’re spoilt for choice this week as far as the First Division goes, so pick a game and go and watch some affordable football at any one of our clubs!
