Premier Division Preview - 2nd and 3rd February 2018
Fri 2nd February 2018 | General | By Gary Langley
Is there any point in going on without mentioning the weather? Last weekend saw half of the schedule washed out and a number of midweek games going the same way. However, in the same vein the games that have managed to beat the weather gods have made for interesting reading when it comes to the table.
This weekend the games are scheduled thick and fast although there is a slightly lighter schedule on Saturday with Barnton and Linnets playing in the Friday and of course 1874 Northwich hosting Chichester City in the fifth round of the Buildbase FA Vase, most of us will have half an eye on that game and we wish them well.
Friday, as previously mentioned sees Barnton host Runcorn Linnets at Townfield in a classic top versus bottom game. Linnets are leading the charge at the moment and go into this game on good form and saw off AFC Darwen 5-1 last weekend. Barnton have had a somewhat difficult campaign up to now and currently prop up the table, however they will likely relish challenges like this and be more than up for it. These sides last met on 23rd December at Millbank where Linnets won 4-0 on the day.
As we move on to the Saturday games we will start at the WEC Group Anchor Ground where AFC Darwen take on City of Liverpool. Darwen currently sit 22nd in the table and are drifting further into trouble, not helped by a number of consecutive fixtures against top half sides. After last weekend’s outing at Linnets they now welcome the in-form ‘Purps’ who are in-form and up to seventh in the table, games in hand and within sight of the top three. In midweek City of Liverpool travelled to Congleton and notched a decent looking away win with a couple of first half goals proving decisive in a 0-2 win.
Widnes welcome Padiham to the Select Security Stadium with both sides in good form of late, more so the home side who are continually pressing the clubs in and around the top four, despite having played more games than them. Last week proved a productive time for them as they defeated Runcorn Town to claw a game back on one of their rivals to go up. Padiham are currently eighth in the table with eyes on the top six, they go into this game on three straight wins and will likely be keen if they go ahead on putting nine at the back as the last time these clubs met it was the famous 3-3 draw back in late October which caught the attention of a global audience with an über late fightback.
Ashton Athletic take on Barnoldswick Town at Brocstedes Park this weekend and despite having only played 18 games they seem to have levelled off in mid-table at the moment. In their last few league games they seem to have lost the consistency they had at the turn of the year. They have that large amount of games in hand though and are still for many in a false position. Barnoldswick are just on the edge of the top ten at the moment but any sort of momentum in the coming weeks could easily see them propel themselves towards the top six, they also travel pretty well so may well fancy their chances this weekend.
Bootle host Congleton Town at the TDP Solicitors Stadium with the Sefton side much improved of late and nearly consolidated in the top six. Only one defeat in their last five league games sees Bootle looking strong going into this clash. Congleton haven’t been too bad themselves, only two defeats in their last seven games, they were against leaders Runcorn Linnets and most recently against City of Liverpool in midweek.
Burscough in eighteenth take on fifth placed Hanley Town at Victoria Park with these sides in much different places in the current form table. You can almost reverse those placings when it comes to form although Hanley have started to show recent improvements having had a difficult run of results over the festive campaign. Likewise Maine Road and AFC Liverpool who go head to head at Brantingham Road, Maine Road have rallied of late and have climbed to seventeenth in the league table but are in the top third of the form table with some excellent results of late that has seen a resurgence. AFC Liverpool’s performances have started to improve, ten goals in their last three games in all competitions is testament to that, however their results in league matches have not matched good performances and as a result they find themselves in the bottom three. If they need inspiration for an upwardly mobile trend they need look no further than their opponents this weekend.
If the games were played in consecutive weeks without worry if weather or mud, Runcorn Town would have had the title in the bag by now and be planning for midweek games at Scarborough, however it is the Pavilions club who in many opinion has been hit most by the weather problems. Their lack of regular game action and indifferent results when they have played has seen them drop to fourth at the moment and fourth from bottom of the form table. Irlam are the visitors on Saturday and they may quietly fancy their chances if they can get more bodies off their injured list. Like Town’ Irlam can barely scrape two games together, we are just into February and Irlam have played five competitive games since 25th November.
Squires Gate host Northwich Victoria at The Brian Addison Stadium as both clubs look to get upwardly mobile again. Squires Gate currently sit eighteenth in the table and are seven points clear of the drop zone, they have lost only two of their last six games but have also drawn a couple of games that reports suggest they could’ve won. Vics momentum seems to have stalled a bit of late and are without a win in their last four and digging a bit deeper won only two of their last nine. They currently sit twelfth but like Gate, if they could convert draws to wins would be a lot better off given the congested nature of mid-table.
West Didsbury & Chorlton take on Charnock Richard at The Recreation Ground. One thing you are guaranteed with West Didsbury at the moment is goals - be they for or against there are always goals in their games. Their last two games I will cite as an example, last time out list 2-6 away at Hanley, the game before that a 4-1 home win over Darwen, in fact in their last eight games their fans would have seen a total of 52 goals! Charnock Richard will probably be rubbing their hands as they have the joint-second best goal difference in the league and they are currently second in the table at the moment. A win this weekend would certainly keep the sides around them on their toes.
Premier Division Preview - 2nd and 3rd February 2018
Fri 2nd February 2018 | General
By Gary Langley
Is there any point in going on without mentioning the weather? Last weekend saw half of the schedule washed out and a number of midweek games going the same way. However, in the same vein the games that have managed to beat the weather gods have made for interesting reading when it comes to the table.
This weekend the games are scheduled thick and fast although there is a slightly lighter schedule on Saturday with Barnton and Linnets playing in the Friday and of course 1874 Northwich hosting Chichester City in the fifth round of the Buildbase FA Vase, most of us will have half an eye on that game and we wish them well.
Friday, as previously mentioned sees Barnton host Runcorn Linnets at Townfield in a classic top versus bottom game. Linnets are leading the charge at the moment and go into this game on good form and saw off AFC Darwen 5-1 last weekend. Barnton have had a somewhat difficult campaign up to now and currently prop up the table, however they will likely relish challenges like this and be more than up for it. These sides last met on 23rd December at Millbank where Linnets won 4-0 on the day.
As we move on to the Saturday games we will start at the WEC Group Anchor Ground where AFC Darwen take on City of Liverpool. Darwen currently sit 22nd in the table and are drifting further into trouble, not helped by a number of consecutive fixtures against top half sides. After last weekend’s outing at Linnets they now welcome the in-form ‘Purps’ who are in-form and up to seventh in the table, games in hand and within sight of the top three. In midweek City of Liverpool travelled to Congleton and notched a decent looking away win with a couple of first half goals proving decisive in a 0-2 win.
Widnes welcome Padiham to the Select Security Stadium with both sides in good form of late, more so the home side who are continually pressing the clubs in and around the top four, despite having played more games than them. Last week proved a productive time for them as they defeated Runcorn Town to claw a game back on one of their rivals to go up. Padiham are currently eighth in the table with eyes on the top six, they go into this game on three straight wins and will likely be keen if they go ahead on putting nine at the back as the last time these clubs met it was the famous 3-3 draw back in late October which caught the attention of a global audience with an über late fightback.
Ashton Athletic take on Barnoldswick Town at Brocstedes Park this weekend and despite having only played 18 games they seem to have levelled off in mid-table at the moment. In their last few league games they seem to have lost the consistency they had at the turn of the year. They have that large amount of games in hand though and are still for many in a false position. Barnoldswick are just on the edge of the top ten at the moment but any sort of momentum in the coming weeks could easily see them propel themselves towards the top six, they also travel pretty well so may well fancy their chances this weekend.
Bootle host Congleton Town at the TDP Solicitors Stadium with the Sefton side much improved of late and nearly consolidated in the top six. Only one defeat in their last five league games sees Bootle looking strong going into this clash. Congleton haven’t been too bad themselves, only two defeats in their last seven games, they were against leaders Runcorn Linnets and most recently against City of Liverpool in midweek.
Burscough in eighteenth take on fifth placed Hanley Town at Victoria Park with these sides in much different places in the current form table. You can almost reverse those placings when it comes to form although Hanley have started to show recent improvements having had a difficult run of results over the festive campaign. Likewise Maine Road and AFC Liverpool who go head to head at Brantingham Road, Maine Road have rallied of late and have climbed to seventeenth in the league table but are in the top third of the form table with some excellent results of late that has seen a resurgence. AFC Liverpool’s performances have started to improve, ten goals in their last three games in all competitions is testament to that, however their results in league matches have not matched good performances and as a result they find themselves in the bottom three. If they need inspiration for an upwardly mobile trend they need look no further than their opponents this weekend.
If the games were played in consecutive weeks without worry if weather or mud, Runcorn Town would have had the title in the bag by now and be planning for midweek games at Scarborough, however it is the Pavilions club who in many opinion has been hit most by the weather problems. Their lack of regular game action and indifferent results when they have played has seen them drop to fourth at the moment and fourth from bottom of the form table. Irlam are the visitors on Saturday and they may quietly fancy their chances if they can get more bodies off their injured list. Like Town’ Irlam can barely scrape two games together, we are just into February and Irlam have played five competitive games since 25th November.
Squires Gate host Northwich Victoria at The Brian Addison Stadium as both clubs look to get upwardly mobile again. Squires Gate currently sit eighteenth in the table and are seven points clear of the drop zone, they have lost only two of their last six games but have also drawn a couple of games that reports suggest they could’ve won. Vics momentum seems to have stalled a bit of late and are without a win in their last four and digging a bit deeper won only two of their last nine. They currently sit twelfth but like Gate, if they could convert draws to wins would be a lot better off given the congested nature of mid-table.
West Didsbury & Chorlton take on Charnock Richard at The Recreation Ground. One thing you are guaranteed with West Didsbury at the moment is goals - be they for or against there are always goals in their games. Their last two games I will cite as an example, last time out list 2-6 away at Hanley, the game before that a 4-1 home win over Darwen, in fact in their last eight games their fans would have seen a total of 52 goals! Charnock Richard will probably be rubbing their hands as they have the joint-second best goal difference in the league and they are currently second in the table at the moment. A win this weekend would certainly keep the sides around them on their toes.
