Premier Division Preview - Saturday 9th December 2017
Fri 8th December 2017 | General | By Stewart Taylor
Following a week dominated by County Cup fixtures, the Premier Division clubs return to League action this Saturday with a full programme of matches.
One of the most anticipated fixtures of recent years has been Runcorn Linnets v. 1874 Northwich.
Two well supported sides have provided some great entertainment over recent years and this fixture at the Millbank Linnets Stadium could well be expected to be the same.
We are used to seeing Linnets high in the League table and they currently occupy second spot behind their crosstown neighbours. They come into this match after a clear week to put behind them the disappointment of a narrow defeat at the hands of Ebac Northern League side Marske United in the Buildbase FA Vase last Saturday.
By all accounts, the new clubhouse facilities at Linnets are excellent and form just part of the development of the ground and the club. This will add significantly to the matchday experience and a good crowd is expected for this match.
Visitors 1874 Northwich are the November Premier Division Team of the Month but occupy a somewhat lowly position in the table.
Cup matches are the reason here and with 1874 still involved in the Buildbase FA Vase (our last remaining representative for this season - well done to all), the Cheshire Senior Cup, the Mid Cheshire Senior Cup and our very own Macron Cup there will be no relaxation of the frequency of matches.
Both the depth and the quality of the squad will be tested during what will continue to be a busy season as the League programme is caught up with. The midweek win at home against an in form Hanley Town side should give the side confidence moving forward. A fine match in prospect here.
At the top of the League table sit Runcorn Town. Town could not have hoped for a better start to the campaign having remained unbeaten in League matches until the middle of November.
That defeat, at the hands of Widnes, was followed by a loss at home to Winsford United and had the effect of tightening things up at the top of the table. Town will work hard to ensure that this little losing streak does not continue as they visit Congleton Town.
The Bears have increased their options in defence by the recent signing of the vastly experienced Montserrat international Anthony Griffith. The side has looked good on paper all season but the current 14th position in the League table will be a great disappointment to all at the Richborough Estates Stadium.
Now is the time to work to get some consistency and if that can be started against the current league leaders then that might just auger well for the second half of the season.
We tend to get a fair number of derby matches throughout the season and this week we have a potential cracker. Its just 5 miles from Vesty Road to the Marine Travel Arena and hopes will be high for a good crowd and a good atmosphere as AFC Liverpool host Bootle.
The home side for this match are one of several Premier Division clubs who will be hoping that their season mirrors the well worn footballing cliché of a game of two halves as the second half of the season looms.
AFC Liverpool have played some good football but the results have been below expectations. A victory last Saturday at home to Abbey Hey was encouraging and the opportunity to build on that comes this Saturday.
Visitors Bootle are having a much better season than their neighbours and hosts for this match. 6th place represents a decent return at this point but recent form does point to a bit of inconsistency.
The midweek defeat at the hands of an excellent Prescot Cables side in the Liverpool Senior Cup is best forgotten as the quest for League points continues. 49 goals in League matches this season without a player in the top 10 of the goalscorers table suggests that goals can come from anywhere on the pitch, something for opposing sides to be wary of at all times.
The match of the day from the perspective of the current form table sees Charnock Richard make the journey into Cheshire to face Winsford United at the St Luke’s Barton Stadium.
Victories for the Blues in the two most recent League fixtures – both against sides above them in the table – will see confidence sky high as they face another side in the upper reaches of the table. It may well be that Winsford United are truly converting promise into concrete results right now and this match will go some way to confirming that thought.
Charnock Richard represent a stern challenge to any side they face at the moment. The Premier Division newcomers have not exactly swept all before them this season but with games in hand over the sides above they sit in a very healthy position.
Proven goalscorer Carl Grimshaw has been at it again with 17 goals in all competitions so far this season including one in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy Quarter Final victory over Padiham in midweek.
Perhaps the most eye-catching of the midweek results was the victory by Widnes over Vanarama National League North outfit Southport, now managed by former Bolton Wanderers and England striker Kevin Davies.
A comfortable 5-1 scoreline takes Widnes into the semi finals of the Liverpool Senior Cup and continues their excellent run of form into the Saturday match when Barnoldswick Town are the visitors to the Select Security Stadium.
Many seasoned NWCFL observers looked at the squad list for our clubs at the beginning of the season and picked out Barlick as a team to watch out for on the basis of having a good number of players with pedigree and experience at this level.
Their season started reasonably well but fell away somewhat in September. Three recent high scoring league wins have perhaps put the East Lancashire side back on track but it will be a tricky task to extend that run as two sides in good form come up against each other in yet another encounter to be looked forward to.
It is somewhat inevitable that with some teams in good form others will not be. One such is West Didsbury & Chorlton. West are currently bottom of the form table and come into their match on Saturday on a run of nine defeats in all competitions which has seen the South Manchester side slip down the League table.
Such a run is always difficult to turn around and the visitors to the Recreation Ground, Hanley Town, are as tough as any of the Premier Division sides to get a result against. West will need to keep the Manchester Premier Cup Quarter Final against Hyde United next midweek firmly out of their collective thoughts as nothing less than a concentrated performance in this match is required.
Hanley Town make the trip up from the Potteries in third position in the League table despite three recent defeats. Still very much in the mix for a title challenge it just shows how recent results have made it very competitive at the top of the table this season – a season when, more than ever perhaps, every point counts.
Striker Dan Cope started the season well and has continued in good form to be top of the current goalscorers table. With the experienced Theo Stair around Hanley always represent a decent goalscoring threat and it may be asking a lot for West to get anything from this game but they will put everything into it to try to reverse their current form.
Our next match takes us to the Abbey Stadium where Abbey Hey host Padiham.
A somewhat up and down season so far sees Abbey occupy a mid table position. Some fine wins against clubs higher in the table have been balanced with some disappointing defeats. The reverse League fixture last month saw Abbey run out 2-1 winners at the Ruby Civil Arena and that will give the East Manchester side encouragement for Saturday’s match.
Padiham come into this match on the back of a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Charnock Richard in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy in mid-week. That result will have been disappointing as it broke a four match winning streak which had seen the Storks up to 7th position in the League table.
With a side featuring more than a smattering of players with higher league experience, Padiham have goals in their armoury and a fine match is in prospect here.
A change in management during a season is often a signal for some instability as a new team in the dugout seek to introduce their methodology into the team on the pitch. This has been the case at Maine Road this season and results, if not performances, have suffered.
Recent signs are that things are beginning to come together with 6 points gained from the last two League matches to put to bed a long losing sequence. Any new found confidence from these last two results will be put to the test on Saturday as they travel to the TDP Solicitors Stadium to take on City of Liverpool.
The Purps are, not surprisingly, finding the going tougher this season in the Premier Division following promotion from the First Division. Nevertheless, they are doing fine and will have enjoyed their run in the Buildbase FA Vase which came to an end last Saturday with the narrowest of defeats away at Ebac Northern League side Stockton Town.
Time now to consolidate and improve the League position with some tough looking games ahead as 2017 fades into 2018. Victory today will, of course, help their cause but a somewhat resurgent Maine Road will provide a stiff challenge.
Returning to the NWCFL this season, Burscough have not found the going at all easy. Some good football has been played but the results have not been forthcoming leaving the club in 21st place in the League table having played a few more games than many of the clubs above them.
Considerable effort, and maybe a change of fortune, is needed for the second half of the season in order to move up the table and the first opportunity comes on Saturday as Northwich Victoria are the visitors to Victoria Park.
Vics also came to the NWCFL this season and, much like Burscough, have found positive results difficult to come by. With former Padiham manager Steve Wilkes at the helm from the end of September, League results have improved with the club now occupying a comfortable mid table position.
It has to be suspected that this will not be enough for the ambitious Mr. Wilkes and that the emphasis will be on progress up the table as the season progresses. The two sides shared the points in the reverse fixture back at the beginning of September but there has been much water under a lot of bridges since then so that result may well be no guide to what will happen on Saturday.
Another club changing manager during this season were Squires Gate as, back in October, Andy Clarkson returned to the club to take over the reins from Danny Penswick.
In truth, things had not been going well for the Fylde Coast outfit having lost the first eight games of the new season before taking their first points with a narrow win over AFC Darwen. An undefeated run of seven matches – winning six – throughout October and November came to an end with something of a bump with a 0-5 reverse at Barnoldswick Town. Nevertheless, that good run was enough to push Gate up the table.
Barnton are the visitors this Saturday to the Brian Addison Stadium and boy are they in need of some points! Currently holding up the other teams in the Premier Division, Barnton have goals in their locker, not least from Chris Smith, but the main problem comes at the other end of the field where they are conceding at the rate of roughly 3.5 goals per League match.
With half of the season played the Villagers need a completely contrasting second half to the season and Saturday may be a good place to start. Squires Gate will, of course, have other ideas.
Our final match this Saturday takes us to the WEC Group Anchor Ground as AFC Darwen welcome Irlam.
Here we see a very recent management change with Mark Patterson stepping down from the AFC Darwen hot seat and a new management team in place. Much like Barnton, the home side for this match have been conceding too many goals but they are also the side with the lowest total of League goals in their favour this season.
With statistics such as these then it comes as no great surprise to discover that the club occupy 22nd place in the current League table. However, not all is doom and gloom as a few wins and creditable draws earlier in the season perhaps shows what can be done.
It took Evo-Stik Premier Division side Lancaster City until added time to register the winning goal, and that from a penalty, in the midweek Lancashire Challenge Trophy Quarter Final and AFC Darwen can take much credit from that match.
Irlam’s season was progressing in a satisfactory manner until a 5-3 win away at West Didsbury & Chorlton in November was followed by a run of four defeats, the consequence being a slide down the League table from 11th to the current position of 18th.
There is little doubt that Irlam were looking to push on from last season’s 8th place finish but that recent run has put this ambition in some jeopardy. Having said that, there are still plenty of matches left and if any side can string together three or four wins on the bounce that will improve their position in what is, as ever, a competitive league.
The weather forecast for the North West of England for Saturday is full of doom and gloom but we need to hope for the best. Keep an eye on the various social media outlets on Saturday morning and, all being well, your chosen game will be on. Enjoy!
Premier Division Preview - Saturday 9th December 2017
Fri 8th December 2017 | General
By Stewart Taylor
Following a week dominated by County Cup fixtures, the Premier Division clubs return to League action this Saturday with a full programme of matches.
One of the most anticipated fixtures of recent years has been Runcorn Linnets v. 1874 Northwich.
Two well supported sides have provided some great entertainment over recent years and this fixture at the Millbank Linnets Stadium could well be expected to be the same.
We are used to seeing Linnets high in the League table and they currently occupy second spot behind their crosstown neighbours. They come into this match after a clear week to put behind them the disappointment of a narrow defeat at the hands of Ebac Northern League side Marske United in the Buildbase FA Vase last Saturday.
By all accounts, the new clubhouse facilities at Linnets are excellent and form just part of the development of the ground and the club. This will add significantly to the matchday experience and a good crowd is expected for this match.
Visitors 1874 Northwich are the November Premier Division Team of the Month but occupy a somewhat lowly position in the table.
Cup matches are the reason here and with 1874 still involved in the Buildbase FA Vase (our last remaining representative for this season - well done to all), the Cheshire Senior Cup, the Mid Cheshire Senior Cup and our very own Macron Cup there will be no relaxation of the frequency of matches.
Both the depth and the quality of the squad will be tested during what will continue to be a busy season as the League programme is caught up with. The midweek win at home against an in form Hanley Town side should give the side confidence moving forward. A fine match in prospect here.
At the top of the League table sit Runcorn Town. Town could not have hoped for a better start to the campaign having remained unbeaten in League matches until the middle of November.
That defeat, at the hands of Widnes, was followed by a loss at home to Winsford United and had the effect of tightening things up at the top of the table. Town will work hard to ensure that this little losing streak does not continue as they visit Congleton Town.
The Bears have increased their options in defence by the recent signing of the vastly experienced Montserrat international Anthony Griffith. The side has looked good on paper all season but the current 14th position in the League table will be a great disappointment to all at the Richborough Estates Stadium.
Now is the time to work to get some consistency and if that can be started against the current league leaders then that might just auger well for the second half of the season.
We tend to get a fair number of derby matches throughout the season and this week we have a potential cracker. Its just 5 miles from Vesty Road to the Marine Travel Arena and hopes will be high for a good crowd and a good atmosphere as AFC Liverpool host Bootle.
The home side for this match are one of several Premier Division clubs who will be hoping that their season mirrors the well worn footballing cliché of a game of two halves as the second half of the season looms.
AFC Liverpool have played some good football but the results have been below expectations. A victory last Saturday at home to Abbey Hey was encouraging and the opportunity to build on that comes this Saturday.
Visitors Bootle are having a much better season than their neighbours and hosts for this match. 6th place represents a decent return at this point but recent form does point to a bit of inconsistency.
The midweek defeat at the hands of an excellent Prescot Cables side in the Liverpool Senior Cup is best forgotten as the quest for League points continues. 49 goals in League matches this season without a player in the top 10 of the goalscorers table suggests that goals can come from anywhere on the pitch, something for opposing sides to be wary of at all times.
The match of the day from the perspective of the current form table sees Charnock Richard make the journey into Cheshire to face Winsford United at the St Luke’s Barton Stadium.
Victories for the Blues in the two most recent League fixtures – both against sides above them in the table – will see confidence sky high as they face another side in the upper reaches of the table. It may well be that Winsford United are truly converting promise into concrete results right now and this match will go some way to confirming that thought.
Charnock Richard represent a stern challenge to any side they face at the moment. The Premier Division newcomers have not exactly swept all before them this season but with games in hand over the sides above they sit in a very healthy position.
Proven goalscorer Carl Grimshaw has been at it again with 17 goals in all competitions so far this season including one in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy Quarter Final victory over Padiham in midweek.
Perhaps the most eye-catching of the midweek results was the victory by Widnes over Vanarama National League North outfit Southport, now managed by former Bolton Wanderers and England striker Kevin Davies.
A comfortable 5-1 scoreline takes Widnes into the semi finals of the Liverpool Senior Cup and continues their excellent run of form into the Saturday match when Barnoldswick Town are the visitors to the Select Security Stadium.
Many seasoned NWCFL observers looked at the squad list for our clubs at the beginning of the season and picked out Barlick as a team to watch out for on the basis of having a good number of players with pedigree and experience at this level.
Their season started reasonably well but fell away somewhat in September. Three recent high scoring league wins have perhaps put the East Lancashire side back on track but it will be a tricky task to extend that run as two sides in good form come up against each other in yet another encounter to be looked forward to.
It is somewhat inevitable that with some teams in good form others will not be. One such is West Didsbury & Chorlton. West are currently bottom of the form table and come into their match on Saturday on a run of nine defeats in all competitions which has seen the South Manchester side slip down the League table.
Such a run is always difficult to turn around and the visitors to the Recreation Ground, Hanley Town, are as tough as any of the Premier Division sides to get a result against. West will need to keep the Manchester Premier Cup Quarter Final against Hyde United next midweek firmly out of their collective thoughts as nothing less than a concentrated performance in this match is required.
Hanley Town make the trip up from the Potteries in third position in the League table despite three recent defeats. Still very much in the mix for a title challenge it just shows how recent results have made it very competitive at the top of the table this season – a season when, more than ever perhaps, every point counts.
Striker Dan Cope started the season well and has continued in good form to be top of the current goalscorers table. With the experienced Theo Stair around Hanley always represent a decent goalscoring threat and it may be asking a lot for West to get anything from this game but they will put everything into it to try to reverse their current form.
Our next match takes us to the Abbey Stadium where Abbey Hey host Padiham.
A somewhat up and down season so far sees Abbey occupy a mid table position. Some fine wins against clubs higher in the table have been balanced with some disappointing defeats. The reverse League fixture last month saw Abbey run out 2-1 winners at the Ruby Civil Arena and that will give the East Manchester side encouragement for Saturday’s match.
Padiham come into this match on the back of a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Charnock Richard in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy in mid-week. That result will have been disappointing as it broke a four match winning streak which had seen the Storks up to 7th position in the League table.
With a side featuring more than a smattering of players with higher league experience, Padiham have goals in their armoury and a fine match is in prospect here.
A change in management during a season is often a signal for some instability as a new team in the dugout seek to introduce their methodology into the team on the pitch. This has been the case at Maine Road this season and results, if not performances, have suffered.
Recent signs are that things are beginning to come together with 6 points gained from the last two League matches to put to bed a long losing sequence. Any new found confidence from these last two results will be put to the test on Saturday as they travel to the TDP Solicitors Stadium to take on City of Liverpool.
The Purps are, not surprisingly, finding the going tougher this season in the Premier Division following promotion from the First Division. Nevertheless, they are doing fine and will have enjoyed their run in the Buildbase FA Vase which came to an end last Saturday with the narrowest of defeats away at Ebac Northern League side Stockton Town.
Time now to consolidate and improve the League position with some tough looking games ahead as 2017 fades into 2018. Victory today will, of course, help their cause but a somewhat resurgent Maine Road will provide a stiff challenge.
Returning to the NWCFL this season, Burscough have not found the going at all easy. Some good football has been played but the results have not been forthcoming leaving the club in 21st place in the League table having played a few more games than many of the clubs above them.
Considerable effort, and maybe a change of fortune, is needed for the second half of the season in order to move up the table and the first opportunity comes on Saturday as Northwich Victoria are the visitors to Victoria Park.
Vics also came to the NWCFL this season and, much like Burscough, have found positive results difficult to come by. With former Padiham manager Steve Wilkes at the helm from the end of September, League results have improved with the club now occupying a comfortable mid table position.
It has to be suspected that this will not be enough for the ambitious Mr. Wilkes and that the emphasis will be on progress up the table as the season progresses. The two sides shared the points in the reverse fixture back at the beginning of September but there has been much water under a lot of bridges since then so that result may well be no guide to what will happen on Saturday.
Another club changing manager during this season were Squires Gate as, back in October, Andy Clarkson returned to the club to take over the reins from Danny Penswick.
In truth, things had not been going well for the Fylde Coast outfit having lost the first eight games of the new season before taking their first points with a narrow win over AFC Darwen. An undefeated run of seven matches – winning six – throughout October and November came to an end with something of a bump with a 0-5 reverse at Barnoldswick Town. Nevertheless, that good run was enough to push Gate up the table.
Barnton are the visitors this Saturday to the Brian Addison Stadium and boy are they in need of some points! Currently holding up the other teams in the Premier Division, Barnton have goals in their locker, not least from Chris Smith, but the main problem comes at the other end of the field where they are conceding at the rate of roughly 3.5 goals per League match.
With half of the season played the Villagers need a completely contrasting second half to the season and Saturday may be a good place to start. Squires Gate will, of course, have other ideas.
Our final match this Saturday takes us to the WEC Group Anchor Ground as AFC Darwen welcome Irlam.
Here we see a very recent management change with Mark Patterson stepping down from the AFC Darwen hot seat and a new management team in place. Much like Barnton, the home side for this match have been conceding too many goals but they are also the side with the lowest total of League goals in their favour this season.
With statistics such as these then it comes as no great surprise to discover that the club occupy 22nd place in the current League table. However, not all is doom and gloom as a few wins and creditable draws earlier in the season perhaps shows what can be done.
It took Evo-Stik Premier Division side Lancaster City until added time to register the winning goal, and that from a penalty, in the midweek Lancashire Challenge Trophy Quarter Final and AFC Darwen can take much credit from that match.
Irlam’s season was progressing in a satisfactory manner until a 5-3 win away at West Didsbury & Chorlton in November was followed by a run of four defeats, the consequence being a slide down the League table from 11th to the current position of 18th.
There is little doubt that Irlam were looking to push on from last season’s 8th place finish but that recent run has put this ambition in some jeopardy. Having said that, there are still plenty of matches left and if any side can string together three or four wins on the bounce that will improve their position in what is, as ever, a competitive league.
The weather forecast for the North West of England for Saturday is full of doom and gloom but we need to hope for the best. Keep an eye on the various social media outlets on Saturday morning and, all being well, your chosen game will be on. Enjoy!
