Premier Division Preview - 28th October 2017
Fri 27th October 2017 | General | By Gary Langley
With the drama of the FA Vase put to one side this weekend the teams can return to the ‘Meat and two veg’ of the Hallmark Security League Campaign as there are points to be won with a near full league fixtures programme scheduled for this weekend. Some clubs have been busy this week with replays and/or County Cup games so there has been plenty of football about and that theme continues this weekend.
We take a look at this weekends Premier Division games and we start at The Abbey Stadium where Abbey Hey host Northwich Victoria. Abbey Hey sit 16th in the League table and last time out shook off a run of four games without a win as they beat 1874 Northwich 4-2 in a midweek fixture, their scheduled game last weekend away at Barnoldswick was postponed though due to the weather conditions. Steve Wilkes Northwich Victoria side are just above Hey’ in the league table and their recent league form has been as equally haphazard with two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five games.
AFC Darwen welcome Hanley Town to the WEC Group Anchor Ground with Darwen riding high in the form table, only one defeat in their last four league games sees the club a couple of points above the relegation zone and upwardly mobile. Hanley Town are in decent form themselves and currently sit in the top four in the table, and still with only one league defeat to their name. However, a surprise 1-3 exit in the Vase at home to Godmanchester sees them likely keen to get their momentum established again.
League Leaders Runcorn Town travel to Townfield to face Barnton on a mixed run of form considering their early season form, although their last league game was back on 10th October when they drew 0-0 at City of Liverpool. Chris Herbert’s side will be looking to try and put some daylight between themselves and the rest again, the gap between the two Runcorn sides is only one point at present. Barnton are in 22nd place and six points away from the perceived safety line and still without a win in the league all season.
Bootle welcome 1874 Northwich to the TDP Solicitors Stadium with Joe Doran’s side settling down after their early season erratic form. They are currently unbeaten in their last four games and averaging just under four goals a game so they are in a good place to fend off the sides beneath them who have games in hand and trying to take the place in the top three from them.
On the subject of games in hand, 1874 Northwich currently have five games in hand on their opponents, however this is also reflected in their lowly league position. They have only managed the small amount due to their cup commitments.
Padiham and Widnes go head to head at the Ruby Civil Arena with the home side on a run of only one defeat in their last nine games in all competitions at the moment, that defeat being at the hands of high flying Hanley Town. Jake Hargreaves netted twice for them last weekend as they beat AFC Liverpool 3-1 at the Marine Travel Arena that lifted them to eighth in the table. Just over their shoulder a place behind them are their opponents who put to bed a run of draws last weekend in style as they convincingly beat Maine Road 5-1 at home, they also faced AFC Liverpool on Monday evening in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
Second placed Runcorn Linnets host Barnoldswick Town at the Millbank Linnets Stadium following their double Vase appointment with Team Northumbria over the last week. Linnets are ten games unbeaten in the league at the moment and have narrowed the gap to Runcorn Town at the top of the table down to a single point. It remains to be seen if their Vase games has taken anything out of them but they will be keen to seal the points in this game and keep the pressure on their neighbours.
Barnoldswick are in mid-table at the moment but have climbed the table significantly this month, buoyed by a run of three straight league wins over AFC Liverpool, Barnton and West Didsbury and Chorlton. Danny Craig’s men will be keen to continue their climb and potentially throw a spanner in the Linnets works.
Squires Gate will be looking to build upon recent results as they take on Congleton Town at The Brian Addison Stadium. Gate’ currently sit 21st in the table and have been upwardly mobile of late, helped by four points from their last two games that included a 5-4 win over AFC Liverpool at home and a 2-2 at Winsford last weekend. Congleton lost 2-3 away at Northwich Victoria last weekend which finished off a bad week for them as they had been knocked out of the Macron Cup just a few days earlier by Cammell Laird 1907. They will be looking for a return to form but will face a tough challenge against a recently rejuvenated Squires Gate
Winsford United and AFC Liverpool go head-to-head at the St Lukes Barton Stadium with Winsford looking for a result that would lift them back into the top six. As previously mentioned, they were held 2-2 at home last week by Squires Gate which saw West Didsbury leap from them into that fold. For AFC Liverpool their luck still hasn’t improved, a 1-3 home defeat to Padiham last Saturday was swiftly followed by an early exit in the Liverpool Senior Cup in midweek. They will be looking for something to fend off a potential slip into the bottom four.
Burscough and City of Liverpool meet for the first time at Victoria Park with The Lancashire Linnets rooted to the foot of the table and looking for a Catalyst for escape from the danger zone. Burscough are still without a League win this season but did record a win in midweek against troubled Skelmersdale in the Liverpool Senior Cup. The Purps’ also had a date in the Liverpool Senior Cup in midweek but despite taking a 2-0 lead over Marine, the Mariners came back to win 3-2 at the end of an epic game at the Marine Travel Arena. This is City of Liverpool’s first League game for a fortnight since a 2-4 home defeat to Congleton and will be looking to start a busy fortnight for them with a morale boosting result.
Fifth placed Charnock Richard host fourteenth placed Irlam at Mossie Park looking to keep the pressure on the clubs above them. It was a disappointing trip for them last weekend as they travelled to Bedlington Terriers in the Buildbase FA Vase and ultimately went out of the competition to the only goal of the game. On the league front though they have still only beaten once. For Irlam, they also experienced Vase disappointment last weekend although their exit was not against an element of the unknown as it was at the hands of 1874 Northwich. It’s a tough run of fixtures for the Manchester sides as after this game they face both Runcorn clubs over the next seven days.
Maine Road have been slowly sliding towards the drop zone and they currently find themselves in 18th position. They host Ashton Athletic at Brantingham Road this weekend looking to end a run that stretches to five straight defeats in all competitions. Ashton Athletic go into this in good form with four straight wins in all competitions and having started to get league games played have in-turn started to climb the table, they currently sit 13th but have the top half in their sights.
Premier Division Preview - 28th October 2017
Fri 27th October 2017 | General
By Gary Langley
With the drama of the FA Vase put to one side this weekend the teams can return to the ‘Meat and two veg’ of the Hallmark Security League Campaign as there are points to be won with a near full league fixtures programme scheduled for this weekend. Some clubs have been busy this week with replays and/or County Cup games so there has been plenty of football about and that theme continues this weekend.
We take a look at this weekends Premier Division games and we start at The Abbey Stadium where Abbey Hey host Northwich Victoria. Abbey Hey sit 16th in the League table and last time out shook off a run of four games without a win as they beat 1874 Northwich 4-2 in a midweek fixture, their scheduled game last weekend away at Barnoldswick was postponed though due to the weather conditions. Steve Wilkes Northwich Victoria side are just above Hey’ in the league table and their recent league form has been as equally haphazard with two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five games.
AFC Darwen welcome Hanley Town to the WEC Group Anchor Ground with Darwen riding high in the form table, only one defeat in their last four league games sees the club a couple of points above the relegation zone and upwardly mobile. Hanley Town are in decent form themselves and currently sit in the top four in the table, and still with only one league defeat to their name. However, a surprise 1-3 exit in the Vase at home to Godmanchester sees them likely keen to get their momentum established again.
League Leaders Runcorn Town travel to Townfield to face Barnton on a mixed run of form considering their early season form, although their last league game was back on 10th October when they drew 0-0 at City of Liverpool. Chris Herbert’s side will be looking to try and put some daylight between themselves and the rest again, the gap between the two Runcorn sides is only one point at present. Barnton are in 22nd place and six points away from the perceived safety line and still without a win in the league all season.
Bootle welcome 1874 Northwich to the TDP Solicitors Stadium with Joe Doran’s side settling down after their early season erratic form. They are currently unbeaten in their last four games and averaging just under four goals a game so they are in a good place to fend off the sides beneath them who have games in hand and trying to take the place in the top three from them.
On the subject of games in hand, 1874 Northwich currently have five games in hand on their opponents, however this is also reflected in their lowly league position. They have only managed the small amount due to their cup commitments.
Padiham and Widnes go head to head at the Ruby Civil Arena with the home side on a run of only one defeat in their last nine games in all competitions at the moment, that defeat being at the hands of high flying Hanley Town. Jake Hargreaves netted twice for them last weekend as they beat AFC Liverpool 3-1 at the Marine Travel Arena that lifted them to eighth in the table. Just over their shoulder a place behind them are their opponents who put to bed a run of draws last weekend in style as they convincingly beat Maine Road 5-1 at home, they also faced AFC Liverpool on Monday evening in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
Second placed Runcorn Linnets host Barnoldswick Town at the Millbank Linnets Stadium following their double Vase appointment with Team Northumbria over the last week. Linnets are ten games unbeaten in the league at the moment and have narrowed the gap to Runcorn Town at the top of the table down to a single point. It remains to be seen if their Vase games has taken anything out of them but they will be keen to seal the points in this game and keep the pressure on their neighbours.
Barnoldswick are in mid-table at the moment but have climbed the table significantly this month, buoyed by a run of three straight league wins over AFC Liverpool, Barnton and West Didsbury and Chorlton. Danny Craig’s men will be keen to continue their climb and potentially throw a spanner in the Linnets works.
Squires Gate will be looking to build upon recent results as they take on Congleton Town at The Brian Addison Stadium. Gate’ currently sit 21st in the table and have been upwardly mobile of late, helped by four points from their last two games that included a 5-4 win over AFC Liverpool at home and a 2-2 at Winsford last weekend. Congleton lost 2-3 away at Northwich Victoria last weekend which finished off a bad week for them as they had been knocked out of the Macron Cup just a few days earlier by Cammell Laird 1907. They will be looking for a return to form but will face a tough challenge against a recently rejuvenated Squires Gate
Winsford United and AFC Liverpool go head-to-head at the St Lukes Barton Stadium with Winsford looking for a result that would lift them back into the top six. As previously mentioned, they were held 2-2 at home last week by Squires Gate which saw West Didsbury leap from them into that fold. For AFC Liverpool their luck still hasn’t improved, a 1-3 home defeat to Padiham last Saturday was swiftly followed by an early exit in the Liverpool Senior Cup in midweek. They will be looking for something to fend off a potential slip into the bottom four.
Burscough and City of Liverpool meet for the first time at Victoria Park with The Lancashire Linnets rooted to the foot of the table and looking for a Catalyst for escape from the danger zone. Burscough are still without a League win this season but did record a win in midweek against troubled Skelmersdale in the Liverpool Senior Cup. The Purps’ also had a date in the Liverpool Senior Cup in midweek but despite taking a 2-0 lead over Marine, the Mariners came back to win 3-2 at the end of an epic game at the Marine Travel Arena. This is City of Liverpool’s first League game for a fortnight since a 2-4 home defeat to Congleton and will be looking to start a busy fortnight for them with a morale boosting result.
Fifth placed Charnock Richard host fourteenth placed Irlam at Mossie Park looking to keep the pressure on the clubs above them. It was a disappointing trip for them last weekend as they travelled to Bedlington Terriers in the Buildbase FA Vase and ultimately went out of the competition to the only goal of the game. On the league front though they have still only beaten once. For Irlam, they also experienced Vase disappointment last weekend although their exit was not against an element of the unknown as it was at the hands of 1874 Northwich. It’s a tough run of fixtures for the Manchester sides as after this game they face both Runcorn clubs over the next seven days.
Maine Road have been slowly sliding towards the drop zone and they currently find themselves in 18th position. They host Ashton Athletic at Brantingham Road this weekend looking to end a run that stretches to five straight defeats in all competitions. Ashton Athletic go into this in good form with four straight wins in all competitions and having started to get league games played have in-turn started to climb the table, they currently sit 13th but have the top half in their sights.
