Premier Division Preview - 2nd December 2017
Fri 1st December 2017 | Match Reviews | By Gary Langley
It’s a busy week all-round as with a number of high profile FA Vase games taking place, we also have a number of high profile games taking place at the top and bottom of the Hallmark Security League. It’s the time of year where the weather has a large say on what happens in the table as some games end up hitting the skids. The weather forecast has 100% less Yellow Weather Warnings this weekend so hopefully that will give plenty of these games a chance.
Let’s take a look at this weekend’s games and we start at The Marine Travel Arena where AFC Liverpool take on Abbey Hey. AFC Liverpool’s poor run of form that blighted them through October and early November has improved with a recent win against AFC Darwen and decent point gained from their game against City of Liverpool. Like Many clubs, they have had a number of recent postponements making December a key month for the Non-League Reds. Luke Gibson’s Abbey Hey are in mid-table and upwardly mobile as they face their third scheduled fixture within a week. Abbey Hey generally travel well and last season they won both of the league fixtures against the Merseysiders.
Barnoldswick Town take on a struggling West Didsbury & Chorlton at the Silentnight Stadium and it’s not often one has said that over the last few years as the South Manchester side have been perennial challengers at the top end of the table. However, West Didsbury & Chorlton started the week in 15th place in the table and rock bottom of the form table as they look to turn around a run of league form that has seen them slip too close to the bottom six for comfort.
Barlick’ Manager, Danny Craig was rightly full of praise for his squad last week after two impressive wins against Squires Gate and Darwen that netted nine goals, however he did cite the need for consistency in a recent interview on the League Website and if his side can get that then they are very capable of climbing out of mid-table.
Bootle host Squires Gate at the TDP Solicitors Stadium this weekend with Andy Clarkson’s Squires Gate still riding high in the form table. They will be looking to consolidate their place in lower-mid table but will face a tough ask against a Bootle side who go into this game also in good form and keen to keep the pressure on the top three, a task made more difficult by their 2-0 defeat at Runcorn Linnets in midweek.
Maine Road welcome AFC Darwen to Brantingham Road with both clubs rooted in the bottom four and neither in great form either. Maine Road’s slide has been steady and gradual although they do have games in hands on the sides immediately above them, that will be no good to them unless they can address the slide. There has been multiple squad changes there at the club so if they can get a bit of stability there is still hope for them to turn things around. AFC Darwen are in the same boat although they are arguably a more stable squad, although they looked anything but stable in midweek as Charnock Richard played them off the park as they road to a 9-1 win over the East Lancs side. AFC Darwen have played more games and have a number of tough looking fixtures to come over the next fortnight. I’m not one for clichés but this really does look like the stereotypical six-pointer.
It's Friends reunited at Townfield this weekend as Northwich Victoria take on Padiham, as Vics’ Gaffer Steve Wilkes and Assistants Steve Pickup and Andy Payton come up against their former club that they left back on 29th August. Both clubs have progressed over recent months and both go into this game in good form with Padiham pressing to break into the top six whilst Northwich Victoria look to continue their push towards the top ten.
League leaders Runcorn Town look to consolidate that position as they take on Winsford United at Pavilions. By their own high standards set this season, Town’s form has been inconsistent over the last few games but with Hanley taking on Widnes in an all top six game elsewhere, they will see this as a potential opportunity to make gains. Winsford United will have their own say in this of course, they are still within sight of the top six themselves and go into this game with only one defeat in their last six games in all competitions.
As previously mentioned, Widnes and Hanley Town face-off at the Select Security Stadium this weekend in one of the games of the day. Both of these clubs are expected to be challenging for the top two spaces come the end of the season with Hanley better placed at the moment. Hanley are looking the strongest challengers at the moment to the top placed clubs, but like everyone around them they will have half an eye on the infamous ‘points per game ratio’ that there is so much speculation about at the moment. The very nature of these high profile battles is that someone’s ratio is going to take a hit.
Burscough host Charnock Richard at Victoria Park for a first ever competitive meeting between these two clubs. Burscough have recently shown signs of adapting to their new division and are now on their feet and clocking up regular points. They are out of the bottom four and have secured some good wins of late against the likes of Barnton, Darwen, Maine Road and Barnoldswick, especially important as they were against clubs that were in and around them at the time. Charnock Richard have different fish to fry at the moment as they are one of the clubs contesting the title and go into this game in the form that one would expect from a side in that position. Both of these sides go into this game being their third scheduled game in a week although it's probably fair to say that Charnock will have taken heart from that 9-1 win over AFC Darwen in midweek.
Irlam take on Congleton Town at The Ambitek Stadium, these clubs who have both had good bursts of form at times this season surprisingly find themselves just above the jaws of the bottom six. Such is the topsy-turvy nature of the division, a good result for either of these clubs could see them climb as high as tenth just as quickly as they appeared in the lower-mid table area.
Premier Division Preview - 2nd December 2017
Fri 1st December 2017 | Match Reviews
By Gary Langley
It’s a busy week all-round as with a number of high profile FA Vase games taking place, we also have a number of high profile games taking place at the top and bottom of the Hallmark Security League. It’s the time of year where the weather has a large say on what happens in the table as some games end up hitting the skids. The weather forecast has 100% less Yellow Weather Warnings this weekend so hopefully that will give plenty of these games a chance.
Let’s take a look at this weekend’s games and we start at The Marine Travel Arena where AFC Liverpool take on Abbey Hey. AFC Liverpool’s poor run of form that blighted them through October and early November has improved with a recent win against AFC Darwen and decent point gained from their game against City of Liverpool. Like Many clubs, they have had a number of recent postponements making December a key month for the Non-League Reds. Luke Gibson’s Abbey Hey are in mid-table and upwardly mobile as they face their third scheduled fixture within a week. Abbey Hey generally travel well and last season they won both of the league fixtures against the Merseysiders.
Barnoldswick Town take on a struggling West Didsbury & Chorlton at the Silentnight Stadium and it’s not often one has said that over the last few years as the South Manchester side have been perennial challengers at the top end of the table. However, West Didsbury & Chorlton started the week in 15th place in the table and rock bottom of the form table as they look to turn around a run of league form that has seen them slip too close to the bottom six for comfort.
Barlick’ Manager, Danny Craig was rightly full of praise for his squad last week after two impressive wins against Squires Gate and Darwen that netted nine goals, however he did cite the need for consistency in a recent interview on the League Website and if his side can get that then they are very capable of climbing out of mid-table.
Bootle host Squires Gate at the TDP Solicitors Stadium this weekend with Andy Clarkson’s Squires Gate still riding high in the form table. They will be looking to consolidate their place in lower-mid table but will face a tough ask against a Bootle side who go into this game also in good form and keen to keep the pressure on the top three, a task made more difficult by their 2-0 defeat at Runcorn Linnets in midweek.
Maine Road welcome AFC Darwen to Brantingham Road with both clubs rooted in the bottom four and neither in great form either. Maine Road’s slide has been steady and gradual although they do have games in hands on the sides immediately above them, that will be no good to them unless they can address the slide. There has been multiple squad changes there at the club so if they can get a bit of stability there is still hope for them to turn things around. AFC Darwen are in the same boat although they are arguably a more stable squad, although they looked anything but stable in midweek as Charnock Richard played them off the park as they road to a 9-1 win over the East Lancs side. AFC Darwen have played more games and have a number of tough looking fixtures to come over the next fortnight. I’m not one for clichés but this really does look like the stereotypical six-pointer.
It's Friends reunited at Townfield this weekend as Northwich Victoria take on Padiham, as Vics’ Gaffer Steve Wilkes and Assistants Steve Pickup and Andy Payton come up against their former club that they left back on 29th August. Both clubs have progressed over recent months and both go into this game in good form with Padiham pressing to break into the top six whilst Northwich Victoria look to continue their push towards the top ten.
League leaders Runcorn Town look to consolidate that position as they take on Winsford United at Pavilions. By their own high standards set this season, Town’s form has been inconsistent over the last few games but with Hanley taking on Widnes in an all top six game elsewhere, they will see this as a potential opportunity to make gains. Winsford United will have their own say in this of course, they are still within sight of the top six themselves and go into this game with only one defeat in their last six games in all competitions.
As previously mentioned, Widnes and Hanley Town face-off at the Select Security Stadium this weekend in one of the games of the day. Both of these clubs are expected to be challenging for the top two spaces come the end of the season with Hanley better placed at the moment. Hanley are looking the strongest challengers at the moment to the top placed clubs, but like everyone around them they will have half an eye on the infamous ‘points per game ratio’ that there is so much speculation about at the moment. The very nature of these high profile battles is that someone’s ratio is going to take a hit.
Burscough host Charnock Richard at Victoria Park for a first ever competitive meeting between these two clubs. Burscough have recently shown signs of adapting to their new division and are now on their feet and clocking up regular points. They are out of the bottom four and have secured some good wins of late against the likes of Barnton, Darwen, Maine Road and Barnoldswick, especially important as they were against clubs that were in and around them at the time. Charnock Richard have different fish to fry at the moment as they are one of the clubs contesting the title and go into this game in the form that one would expect from a side in that position. Both of these sides go into this game being their third scheduled game in a week although it's probably fair to say that Charnock will have taken heart from that 9-1 win over AFC Darwen in midweek.
Irlam take on Congleton Town at The Ambitek Stadium, these clubs who have both had good bursts of form at times this season surprisingly find themselves just above the jaws of the bottom six. Such is the topsy-turvy nature of the division, a good result for either of these clubs could see them climb as high as tenth just as quickly as they appeared in the lower-mid table area.
