Premier Division Preview - 30th September 2017
Fri 29th September 2017 | General | By Gary Langley
With the Emirates FA Cup ad Buildbase FA Vase having been at the centre of attention for the last couple of weeks, most clubs return in Ernest this weekend as the weekly fight for league points and position resumes. With only Ashton Athletic and 1874 out of League availability this week due to FA Cup Commitments there is a near full-house of fixtures for one to cast an eye over.
Let's start at the Abbey Stadium where Abbey Hey face Winsford United. Abbey Hey's midweek win over Maine Road has lifted them up to 14th in the league table at the moment and they are currently unbeaten in their last three. Winsford United arrive currently in fifth spot but a different recent record with one win in their last four league games so they will be looking to regain momentum to keep the pressure on the top four.
Barnton host Padiham at Townfield on Saturday and they maybe forgiven for casting perhaps a little look over their shoulder as they currently sit 22nd and in the standard relegation zone. Given that the early days label only lasts so long in a season, they will be looking to convert good performances into points. A decent 1-1 draw with Ashton Athletic in midweek will buoy them up as it put to an end their run of three consecutive 4-2 defeats in all competitions.
Padiham aren't much further up the table themselves as they currently sit in sixteenth so they will also be keen to net some points, ironically their last time out was also a draw against Ashton Athletic, a 0-0 version though for them.
To many people's surprise Burscough are currently in the bottom three of the table at the moment, however last Saturday it was Armthorpe Welfare’s turn to be surprised as The Lancashire Linnets put in a solid performance to put them out of the FA Vase. They will need to replicate that type of performance this weekend as Irlam are the visitors at Victoria Park. Burscough are without a league win all season and with Irlam this weekend followed by games against West Didsbury, Winsford and Runcorn Linnets the horizon looks a bit strenuous on the eyes.
Irlam are currently twelfth in the table but are in decent condition at present and are currently unbeaten in their last five in all competitions and are renowned for their ability to travel well. This looks a mouth watering game for the neutral and partisan alike.
Two of the leagues high flyers lock horns at Mossie Park this weekend as Charnock Richard welcome Bootle. Charnock are currently fourth in the table whilst Bootle are only a place above them making this a high profile match up. The home side have played four games less than the visitors and their only defeat in this league season was away at City of Liverpool, a place where many will likely come away with a similar result in all fairness. In their last four games in all competitions they have scored 17 goals and fully justify their second spot in the form table.
Bootle are no slouches themselves, like Charnock they have only one league defeat so far this season and again it was on the road against one of the favourites, in their case, leaders Runcorn Town. Bootle seem to have ironed out their little bit on inconsistency that they had really early doors and they go into this game unbeaten in their last three and this makes for a decent looking first meeting of these two clubs.
This weekend's sees City of Liverpool host Barnoldswick Town at the TDP solicitors Stadium. Last season this was the Macron Cup Final line-up which ‘The Purps’ of course went on to win. This season so far has found the two clubs in different halves of the table, City of Liverpool are currently sitting well placed in sixth with three wins a draw and a loss in their last five games but still well poised to stake a claim for the top spots over the coming weeks if they can continue their current form.
Barnoldswick currently sit 15th in the table with seven points from their eight games and are without a win in any competition since a league win away at Squires Gate at the end of August. The TDP is never an easy place to got at the best of times but Barlick’ will likely view any return of points from this game as a catalyst for reversing that form.
Two sides who have had good starts are tenth placed Hanley Town And ninth placed AFC Liverpool who go go head to head at Potteries Park. Both sides have had fairly consistent starts and this is reflected in their respective league positions. Hanley have only sustained one defeat in the league so far, that was against Charnock Richard in early September and go into this game off the back of three straight wins from completed matches in which they have netted twelve times.
AFC Liverpool had also got off to a decent start but have lost their last two games which were a 5-2 defeat away at Runcorn Linnets and a 0-2 home defeat in the FA Vase last weekend to City of Liverpool. This looks a great game on paper and if one of these two sides are to. Are a push for the top six, this is likely a game that both will look back on as a “must win” if that is to be achieved. If you are looking for pointers from last season, these two clubs met for the first time in the last campaign and both games were 2-2 draws!
Maine Road welcome Northwich Victoria at Brantingham Road with four places separating the two clubs but only one point and two goals in the goal difference tally. Northwich Victoria travel with a new man at the helm, namely Steve Wilkes who recently left Padiham and he will take a new look coaching staff as The Vics try and climb up the table quickly.
For Maine Road they will be looking to turn around a disappointing run of form compared to their usual standards which sees them with just one win and six defeats from their last seven games. It's a run that has seen them slip rapidly to 20th in the table and a situation that they will be keen to amend.
League leaders Runcorn Town face Congleton Town at Pavilions with Chris Herbert's men having flew out of the starting blocks this season and proving to be the team to catch. They are currently on a run of seven straight wins in all competitions scoring 23 times in that run and averaging 3.10 goals per game - not too shabby really!
Congleton had a mixed start with fluctuations in results and form early on but prior to their narrow defeat in their FA Vase game at 1874 Northwich in midweek they had been on a run of four games in all competitions unbeaten so they seem to be settling.
Squires Gate have had reasons to be cheerful of late, last week they shook off their eight game losing streak with a well deserved win at AFC Darwen and they also put in a strong performance in a narrow 1-2 defeat by Radcliffe Borough in the Lancashire Cup. They will need all of that momentum this weekend as Runcorn Linnets visit The Brian Addison Stadium.
Linnets have been pushing neighbours Runcorn Town all the way so far this season with only four points separating the two at the moment, if they can win and results go their way this weekend they can really start getting close to challenging for that top spot.
West Didsbury and Chorlton welcome AFC Darwen to The Recreation Ground with West riding high in seventh at the moment in the middle of a cluster of clubs who could all mount a challenge to the top sides, although given the rate of knots the top 3-4 are going at the moment they will need to really start getting a string of results together. West have been fairly consistent performers so far and have only sustained two league defeats, courtesy of Irlam and more recently Runcorn Town a couple of weeks back.
AFC Darwen sit just above the standard relegation zone in eighteenth at the moment and have just a couple of league wins under their belt up to now, those coming against AFC Liverpool And Barnoldswick Town. Recent reports from their games though suggest that they are a developing team and have plenty of potential. A narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Runcorn Linnets suggests that this is the case, however with games to follow against Charnock Richard and leaders, Runcorn Town over the next seven days they have a bit of an ask to do that right off the bat.
Plenty of good quality games there to choose from for your football fix this weekend, as the weeks get on so do the hits on the various weather forecasting websites but here’s hoping for an action packed weekend full of flowing football, rather than flowing puddles.
Premier Division Preview - 30th September 2017
Fri 29th September 2017 | General
By Gary Langley
With the Emirates FA Cup ad Buildbase FA Vase having been at the centre of attention for the last couple of weeks, most clubs return in Ernest this weekend as the weekly fight for league points and position resumes. With only Ashton Athletic and 1874 out of League availability this week due to FA Cup Commitments there is a near full-house of fixtures for one to cast an eye over.
Let's start at the Abbey Stadium where Abbey Hey face Winsford United. Abbey Hey's midweek win over Maine Road has lifted them up to 14th in the league table at the moment and they are currently unbeaten in their last three. Winsford United arrive currently in fifth spot but a different recent record with one win in their last four league games so they will be looking to regain momentum to keep the pressure on the top four.
Barnton host Padiham at Townfield on Saturday and they maybe forgiven for casting perhaps a little look over their shoulder as they currently sit 22nd and in the standard relegation zone. Given that the early days label only lasts so long in a season, they will be looking to convert good performances into points. A decent 1-1 draw with Ashton Athletic in midweek will buoy them up as it put to an end their run of three consecutive 4-2 defeats in all competitions.
Padiham aren't much further up the table themselves as they currently sit in sixteenth so they will also be keen to net some points, ironically their last time out was also a draw against Ashton Athletic, a 0-0 version though for them.
To many people's surprise Burscough are currently in the bottom three of the table at the moment, however last Saturday it was Armthorpe Welfare’s turn to be surprised as The Lancashire Linnets put in a solid performance to put them out of the FA Vase. They will need to replicate that type of performance this weekend as Irlam are the visitors at Victoria Park. Burscough are without a league win all season and with Irlam this weekend followed by games against West Didsbury, Winsford and Runcorn Linnets the horizon looks a bit strenuous on the eyes.
Irlam are currently twelfth in the table but are in decent condition at present and are currently unbeaten in their last five in all competitions and are renowned for their ability to travel well. This looks a mouth watering game for the neutral and partisan alike.
Two of the leagues high flyers lock horns at Mossie Park this weekend as Charnock Richard welcome Bootle. Charnock are currently fourth in the table whilst Bootle are only a place above them making this a high profile match up. The home side have played four games less than the visitors and their only defeat in this league season was away at City of Liverpool, a place where many will likely come away with a similar result in all fairness. In their last four games in all competitions they have scored 17 goals and fully justify their second spot in the form table.
Bootle are no slouches themselves, like Charnock they have only one league defeat so far this season and again it was on the road against one of the favourites, in their case, leaders Runcorn Town. Bootle seem to have ironed out their little bit on inconsistency that they had really early doors and they go into this game unbeaten in their last three and this makes for a decent looking first meeting of these two clubs.
This weekend's sees City of Liverpool host Barnoldswick Town at the TDP solicitors Stadium. Last season this was the Macron Cup Final line-up which ‘The Purps’ of course went on to win. This season so far has found the two clubs in different halves of the table, City of Liverpool are currently sitting well placed in sixth with three wins a draw and a loss in their last five games but still well poised to stake a claim for the top spots over the coming weeks if they can continue their current form.
Barnoldswick currently sit 15th in the table with seven points from their eight games and are without a win in any competition since a league win away at Squires Gate at the end of August. The TDP is never an easy place to got at the best of times but Barlick’ will likely view any return of points from this game as a catalyst for reversing that form.
Two sides who have had good starts are tenth placed Hanley Town And ninth placed AFC Liverpool who go go head to head at Potteries Park. Both sides have had fairly consistent starts and this is reflected in their respective league positions. Hanley have only sustained one defeat in the league so far, that was against Charnock Richard in early September and go into this game off the back of three straight wins from completed matches in which they have netted twelve times.
AFC Liverpool had also got off to a decent start but have lost their last two games which were a 5-2 defeat away at Runcorn Linnets and a 0-2 home defeat in the FA Vase last weekend to City of Liverpool. This looks a great game on paper and if one of these two sides are to. Are a push for the top six, this is likely a game that both will look back on as a “must win” if that is to be achieved. If you are looking for pointers from last season, these two clubs met for the first time in the last campaign and both games were 2-2 draws!
Maine Road welcome Northwich Victoria at Brantingham Road with four places separating the two clubs but only one point and two goals in the goal difference tally. Northwich Victoria travel with a new man at the helm, namely Steve Wilkes who recently left Padiham and he will take a new look coaching staff as The Vics try and climb up the table quickly.
For Maine Road they will be looking to turn around a disappointing run of form compared to their usual standards which sees them with just one win and six defeats from their last seven games. It's a run that has seen them slip rapidly to 20th in the table and a situation that they will be keen to amend.
League leaders Runcorn Town face Congleton Town at Pavilions with Chris Herbert's men having flew out of the starting blocks this season and proving to be the team to catch. They are currently on a run of seven straight wins in all competitions scoring 23 times in that run and averaging 3.10 goals per game - not too shabby really!
Congleton had a mixed start with fluctuations in results and form early on but prior to their narrow defeat in their FA Vase game at 1874 Northwich in midweek they had been on a run of four games in all competitions unbeaten so they seem to be settling.
Squires Gate have had reasons to be cheerful of late, last week they shook off their eight game losing streak with a well deserved win at AFC Darwen and they also put in a strong performance in a narrow 1-2 defeat by Radcliffe Borough in the Lancashire Cup. They will need all of that momentum this weekend as Runcorn Linnets visit The Brian Addison Stadium.
Linnets have been pushing neighbours Runcorn Town all the way so far this season with only four points separating the two at the moment, if they can win and results go their way this weekend they can really start getting close to challenging for that top spot.
West Didsbury and Chorlton welcome AFC Darwen to The Recreation Ground with West riding high in seventh at the moment in the middle of a cluster of clubs who could all mount a challenge to the top sides, although given the rate of knots the top 3-4 are going at the moment they will need to really start getting a string of results together. West have been fairly consistent performers so far and have only sustained two league defeats, courtesy of Irlam and more recently Runcorn Town a couple of weeks back.
AFC Darwen sit just above the standard relegation zone in eighteenth at the moment and have just a couple of league wins under their belt up to now, those coming against AFC Liverpool And Barnoldswick Town. Recent reports from their games though suggest that they are a developing team and have plenty of potential. A narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Runcorn Linnets suggests that this is the case, however with games to follow against Charnock Richard and leaders, Runcorn Town over the next seven days they have a bit of an ask to do that right off the bat.
Plenty of good quality games there to choose from for your football fix this weekend, as the weeks get on so do the hits on the various weather forecasting websites but here’s hoping for an action packed weekend full of flowing football, rather than flowing puddles.
