Premier Division Preview - 10th February 2018
Fri 9th February 2018 | General | By Gary Langley
League Development Officer, Gary Langley (@garylangley) has cast an eye over this weekend's Hallmark Security League Premier Division Fixtures.
Another weekend sees another set of key fixtures for every clubs hopes dreams and potential disappointments as we start approaching the all-important final couple of months or so of the season. We have discussed the weather enough so lets just crack on and take a look at the games we are scheduled to see this week.
Starting at Townfield where Northwich Victoria host league leaders Runcorn Linnets. Twelfth placed Vics’ are without a win in their last four but in all fairness the last two have beenhome defeats to promotion chasing Charnock Richard and in-form 1874 Northwich. This game is in that same quality bracket of opposition so they will be keen to end that run. Speaking of runs of form, Linnets current results pattern is superb at the moment, twelve straight league wins that stretch back to October last year.
Widnes host Barnton at the Select Security Stadium looking to consolidate second place, whilst much is made by observers about the fact that the sides below them have up to five games in hand, Widnes have the points on the board. The Halton clubs last defeat in any competition was back on 18th November last year which was a 0-3 home reverse to Charnock Richard, who are of course one of their main rivals for promotion. Barnton have not had the best of seasons up to now and it is starting to look a bit ominous as they are sixteen points from safety and running out of games. One draw and eleven defeats in their last twelve in all competitions sums things up really but they will be keen to finish on a flourish, its worth mentioning as well that against the top sides Barnton have produced some of their stronger performances.
Runcorn Town take on Ashton Athletic at Pavilions looking to get a game played, then hopefully another shortly after and some more after that. They have been absolutely battered by the weather over the last couple of months and have not been able to get anywhere near a regular fixture pattern played and this has seen them slip from top to fourth in the table. Many clubs are in the same boat, don’t get me wrong in that but historically if you look back a couple of months it wasn’t that far ago that many were saying they were out of sight. Ashton Athletic sit in thirteenth in the table but have five games in hand on Runcorn Town, if they were to in them all they could be just a few points behind this weekends opponents. Ashton are still in the mix as outsiders but if they can get a run of form together then they could still gatecrash the promotion party.
Irlam host Hanley Town at The Ambitek Stadium with both clubs really needing a win. Irlam have only played two games in this calendar year, their last game was a 2-1 home win over Burscough back on 13th January. They are currently in the bottom four but have only played 22 games and will be keen to get some games played and try and climb away from trouble. Fifth placed Hanley Town are still struggling, they had managed to get a couple of consecutive wins together at the end of January which had ended a previous run of seven without a win. However they took another setback to their promotion hopes a couple of weekends back when they lost 1-2 away at Burscough and will have been looking at the current standings of the PPG averages that were published on the Counties Podcast Website last weekend, they have taken a big hit on that ratio of late.
Winsford United welcome Bootle to St Lukes, hopefully. The pitch at Winsford has sustained a lot of damage of late and has had a large amount of work done on it but it has taken a bit of a pounding. Winsford haven’t kicked a ball in anger home or away since 13th January when they lost 2-3 away at West Didsbury & Chorlton and have since suffered seven straight postponements. Bootle go into this game off the back of four straight wins and have scored 21 goals in the process this keeping their outside promotion hopes alive.
AFC Darwen take 1874 Northwich at the WEC Group Anchor Ground as the home side look to try and get a run together to get themselves out of trouble, they are currently fourteen points adrift of safety and would need some really good form if they are to repeat their late escape acts of recent seasons. 1874 Northwich are currently in ninth and are still glowing in the joy of their recent FA Vase win over Chichester which has taken them to the last eight of the National Competition. Their current run if five straight wins in all competitions and only one defeat and twelve wins in their last thirteen in all competitions. It’s got coupon buster written all over it but in current form it would be a brave person who predicts anything apart from an away win.
AFC Liverpool host West Didsbury & Chorlton at The Marine Travel Arena this weekend and games between these two clubs are generally great games and have goals, incidents and plenty of banter around them although this is the first time these clubs have met since New Years Eve 2016. AFC Liverpool are hovering above the relegation zone and have just a single points grace, however since the arrival of their new management team the Reds have been playing better football and ground out an impressive 1-0 win away at Maine Road recently. West Didsbury & Chorlton are seven points clear of the drop zone and that has been helped by the Chorlton Hipsters bagging six points from their last three games which has certainly eased the pressure a bit.
Charnock Richard will be looking to consolidate their promotion challenge as they take on Barnoldswick Town at Mossie Park. This is the third meeting between these two clubs, they have met in a competitive game before, last season Charnock Richard won an FA Vase First Round Tie 3-1 in October 2016 and this season Charnock won 0-4 at the Silent night in the league and met as recently as 9th Jan when Charnock won 4-0 again on the road in the Macron Cup. Charnock Richard currently sit third in the table and in really good form at the moment, whilst Barnoldswick are currently in tenth.
City of Liverpool welcome Abbey Hey to the TDP Solicitors Stadium looking to continue their push up the table towards the chasing pack. Only one defeat in their last eight league games which was the 0-2 derby defeat to Bootle on 23rd January has seen the purps’ re-emerge as promotion candidates as they have looked strong on the park. This is a first meeting between these two clubs and Abbey Hey will be looking to try and frustrate the Vesty Road Club as the side from Gorton need some points quickly as they currently find themselves in the bottom four.
Congleton Town take on Padiham at the Richborough Estates Stadium with only five points separating eighth place Padiham and the hosts who currently sit in eleventh. Padiham are currently in the better recent form of these two clubs but both will be keen to get some points to try and push on and shake things up in the top third of the table. Over at Brantingham Road seventeenth placed Maine Road host eighteenth placed Burscough and again there is not much to serepate these two clubs either in form, league position or need for points. Both clubs are too close to the bottom four for comfort.
Premier Division Preview - 10th February 2018
Fri 9th February 2018 | General
By Gary Langley
League Development Officer, Gary Langley (@garylangley) has cast an eye over this weekend's Hallmark Security League Premier Division Fixtures.
Another weekend sees another set of key fixtures for every clubs hopes dreams and potential disappointments as we start approaching the all-important final couple of months or so of the season. We have discussed the weather enough so lets just crack on and take a look at the games we are scheduled to see this week.
Starting at Townfield where Northwich Victoria host league leaders Runcorn Linnets. Twelfth placed Vics’ are without a win in their last four but in all fairness the last two have beenhome defeats to promotion chasing Charnock Richard and in-form 1874 Northwich. This game is in that same quality bracket of opposition so they will be keen to end that run. Speaking of runs of form, Linnets current results pattern is superb at the moment, twelve straight league wins that stretch back to October last year.
Widnes host Barnton at the Select Security Stadium looking to consolidate second place, whilst much is made by observers about the fact that the sides below them have up to five games in hand, Widnes have the points on the board. The Halton clubs last defeat in any competition was back on 18th November last year which was a 0-3 home reverse to Charnock Richard, who are of course one of their main rivals for promotion. Barnton have not had the best of seasons up to now and it is starting to look a bit ominous as they are sixteen points from safety and running out of games. One draw and eleven defeats in their last twelve in all competitions sums things up really but they will be keen to finish on a flourish, its worth mentioning as well that against the top sides Barnton have produced some of their stronger performances.
Runcorn Town take on Ashton Athletic at Pavilions looking to get a game played, then hopefully another shortly after and some more after that. They have been absolutely battered by the weather over the last couple of months and have not been able to get anywhere near a regular fixture pattern played and this has seen them slip from top to fourth in the table. Many clubs are in the same boat, don’t get me wrong in that but historically if you look back a couple of months it wasn’t that far ago that many were saying they were out of sight. Ashton Athletic sit in thirteenth in the table but have five games in hand on Runcorn Town, if they were to in them all they could be just a few points behind this weekends opponents. Ashton are still in the mix as outsiders but if they can get a run of form together then they could still gatecrash the promotion party.
Irlam host Hanley Town at The Ambitek Stadium with both clubs really needing a win. Irlam have only played two games in this calendar year, their last game was a 2-1 home win over Burscough back on 13th January. They are currently in the bottom four but have only played 22 games and will be keen to get some games played and try and climb away from trouble. Fifth placed Hanley Town are still struggling, they had managed to get a couple of consecutive wins together at the end of January which had ended a previous run of seven without a win. However they took another setback to their promotion hopes a couple of weekends back when they lost 1-2 away at Burscough and will have been looking at the current standings of the PPG averages that were published on the Counties Podcast Website last weekend, they have taken a big hit on that ratio of late.
Winsford United welcome Bootle to St Lukes, hopefully. The pitch at Winsford has sustained a lot of damage of late and has had a large amount of work done on it but it has taken a bit of a pounding. Winsford haven’t kicked a ball in anger home or away since 13th January when they lost 2-3 away at West Didsbury & Chorlton and have since suffered seven straight postponements. Bootle go into this game off the back of four straight wins and have scored 21 goals in the process this keeping their outside promotion hopes alive.
AFC Darwen take 1874 Northwich at the WEC Group Anchor Ground as the home side look to try and get a run together to get themselves out of trouble, they are currently fourteen points adrift of safety and would need some really good form if they are to repeat their late escape acts of recent seasons. 1874 Northwich are currently in ninth and are still glowing in the joy of their recent FA Vase win over Chichester which has taken them to the last eight of the National Competition. Their current run if five straight wins in all competitions and only one defeat and twelve wins in their last thirteen in all competitions. It’s got coupon buster written all over it but in current form it would be a brave person who predicts anything apart from an away win.
AFC Liverpool host West Didsbury & Chorlton at The Marine Travel Arena this weekend and games between these two clubs are generally great games and have goals, incidents and plenty of banter around them although this is the first time these clubs have met since New Years Eve 2016. AFC Liverpool are hovering above the relegation zone and have just a single points grace, however since the arrival of their new management team the Reds have been playing better football and ground out an impressive 1-0 win away at Maine Road recently. West Didsbury & Chorlton are seven points clear of the drop zone and that has been helped by the Chorlton Hipsters bagging six points from their last three games which has certainly eased the pressure a bit.
Charnock Richard will be looking to consolidate their promotion challenge as they take on Barnoldswick Town at Mossie Park. This is the third meeting between these two clubs, they have met in a competitive game before, last season Charnock Richard won an FA Vase First Round Tie 3-1 in October 2016 and this season Charnock won 0-4 at the Silent night in the league and met as recently as 9th Jan when Charnock won 4-0 again on the road in the Macron Cup. Charnock Richard currently sit third in the table and in really good form at the moment, whilst Barnoldswick are currently in tenth.
City of Liverpool welcome Abbey Hey to the TDP Solicitors Stadium looking to continue their push up the table towards the chasing pack. Only one defeat in their last eight league games which was the 0-2 derby defeat to Bootle on 23rd January has seen the purps’ re-emerge as promotion candidates as they have looked strong on the park. This is a first meeting between these two clubs and Abbey Hey will be looking to try and frustrate the Vesty Road Club as the side from Gorton need some points quickly as they currently find themselves in the bottom four.
Congleton Town take on Padiham at the Richborough Estates Stadium with only five points separating eighth place Padiham and the hosts who currently sit in eleventh. Padiham are currently in the better recent form of these two clubs but both will be keen to get some points to try and push on and shake things up in the top third of the table. Over at Brantingham Road seventeenth placed Maine Road host eighteenth placed Burscough and again there is not much to serepate these two clubs either in form, league position or need for points. Both clubs are too close to the bottom four for comfort.
