Division One Preview - Saturday 17th March 2018
Fri 16th March 2018 | Match Reviews | By Gary Langley
Slowly but surely games are starting to regularly appear as are subsequent results so here’s hoping for an exciting weekend of Division One football as a number of the leagues movers and shakers go head to head as the battle for the all important top six places gains momentum.
Four clubs have LWC Drinks Cup business to attend to as Cammell Laird host Daisy Hill at Kirkland’s and Sandbach host Prestwich Heys in their respective semi-final first leg games.
Looking at this weekend’s league games we will start with the leaders, Silsden AFC who face a tricky looking trip to The Venue to face FC Oswestry Town. Generally this season FC Oswestry have been ok in their own facility and whilst the play-offs are likely beyond them now, they are unbeaten in their last four in all competitions when playing at home. Silsden have seen a couple of the chasing pack slip up in recent weeks which has led to them still retaining a strong lead at the top. They will be mindful of Remyca getting to within six points of them as recently as a fortnight ago and will be keen to keep them and the likes of Alport at arms length.
AFC Blackpool who have relatively strong at home all season host second placed Litherland Remyca who have been one of the best three sides on the road so far, at The Mechanics Stadium this weekend. AFC Blackpool are in seventh at present and can catch a few of the sides in the play-off places having played lass games than a couple of their rivals. On Monday evening they were beaten 2-1 at home by St Helens Town and they face a tough quest against a Remyca side who have lost only twice on their travels since December 1st.
Bacup Borough host another automatic promotion hopeful as Whitchurch Alport visit The Brian Boys West View Stadium. Bacups recent record has been disappointing by their own high standards. Their 3-1 away win at Atherton LR is still their only win in their last eleven games and the rest of those have been defeats. Last Monday they missed out by the odd goal in Nine in a thrilling game at Chadderton so they know where the goal is. Alport returned to winning ways in midweek with a 3-0 away win at fellow promotion chasers, Alsager Town, following their previous game having been defeated by Litherland Remyca.
Speaking of Alsager Town, they travel to The ARK Fleetech Stadium this weekend to face Chadderton. Alsager have either been in or around the top six all season, at present they find themselves in eighth but with games in hand on the sides above them so a win this weekend will really put the pressure on the clubs immediately above them. There is never a shortage of goals for the spectator at Chadderton, you certainly get value for money when watching them, they’re actually on a mini-run at the moment having sustained four points from their last two games, those being Monday nights 5-4 home win over Bacup and a few days earlier a 4-4 draw at home to Remyca.
Holker Old Boys host Cheadle Town at Rakesmoor with the home side currently tenth and still in with an outside chance of the play offs. They maybe a bit rusty at the moment having not played since 24th February although that was a 6-1 home win over Oswestry to be fair. Cheadle Town have played only one league game in the last six weeks and that was an impressive 4-1 home win over Bacup just under a fortnight ago and they did play as recently as Wednesday in a Macron Cup game against Northwich Victoria, they narrowly missed out on the night losing 4-3 on penalties. An improving side by all accounts are Cheadle and with changes happening off the park they are likely to be a dark horse for next season.
Abbey Hulton and Atherton LR go head to head at Birches Head Road, only two points separating these clubs who sit sixteenth and fourteenth respectively. Both will be looking to at least aim for a top ten finish at the end of the campaign and will View this as the type of games that represents an opportunity to gain three points.
Carlisle City and Stockport Town are still in touch with the top sides currently in ninth and eleventh respectively in the table and like Holker in tenth, both are outside chances for the play-offs but still technically in with a shout although with the games likely coming thick and fast now it will take a run of championship proportions if they are to barge their way into the top six.
Nelson welcome New Mills at Little Wembley with Nelson likely already to next season but with still targets to aim at. New Mills are currently twelfth in the table but did their morale - and their goal difference the world of good on Monday night with a comprehensive 5-2 win away at Atherton LR, a win which also saw them leap frog their opponents in the table.
Division One Preview - Saturday 17th March 2018
Fri 16th March 2018 | Match Reviews
By Gary Langley
Slowly but surely games are starting to regularly appear as are subsequent results so here’s hoping for an exciting weekend of Division One football as a number of the leagues movers and shakers go head to head as the battle for the all important top six places gains momentum.
Four clubs have LWC Drinks Cup business to attend to as Cammell Laird host Daisy Hill at Kirkland’s and Sandbach host Prestwich Heys in their respective semi-final first leg games.
Looking at this weekend’s league games we will start with the leaders, Silsden AFC who face a tricky looking trip to The Venue to face FC Oswestry Town. Generally this season FC Oswestry have been ok in their own facility and whilst the play-offs are likely beyond them now, they are unbeaten in their last four in all competitions when playing at home. Silsden have seen a couple of the chasing pack slip up in recent weeks which has led to them still retaining a strong lead at the top. They will be mindful of Remyca getting to within six points of them as recently as a fortnight ago and will be keen to keep them and the likes of Alport at arms length.
AFC Blackpool who have relatively strong at home all season host second placed Litherland Remyca who have been one of the best three sides on the road so far, at The Mechanics Stadium this weekend. AFC Blackpool are in seventh at present and can catch a few of the sides in the play-off places having played lass games than a couple of their rivals. On Monday evening they were beaten 2-1 at home by St Helens Town and they face a tough quest against a Remyca side who have lost only twice on their travels since December 1st.
Bacup Borough host another automatic promotion hopeful as Whitchurch Alport visit The Brian Boys West View Stadium. Bacups recent record has been disappointing by their own high standards. Their 3-1 away win at Atherton LR is still their only win in their last eleven games and the rest of those have been defeats. Last Monday they missed out by the odd goal in Nine in a thrilling game at Chadderton so they know where the goal is. Alport returned to winning ways in midweek with a 3-0 away win at fellow promotion chasers, Alsager Town, following their previous game having been defeated by Litherland Remyca.
Speaking of Alsager Town, they travel to The ARK Fleetech Stadium this weekend to face Chadderton. Alsager have either been in or around the top six all season, at present they find themselves in eighth but with games in hand on the sides above them so a win this weekend will really put the pressure on the clubs immediately above them. There is never a shortage of goals for the spectator at Chadderton, you certainly get value for money when watching them, they’re actually on a mini-run at the moment having sustained four points from their last two games, those being Monday nights 5-4 home win over Bacup and a few days earlier a 4-4 draw at home to Remyca.
Holker Old Boys host Cheadle Town at Rakesmoor with the home side currently tenth and still in with an outside chance of the play offs. They maybe a bit rusty at the moment having not played since 24th February although that was a 6-1 home win over Oswestry to be fair. Cheadle Town have played only one league game in the last six weeks and that was an impressive 4-1 home win over Bacup just under a fortnight ago and they did play as recently as Wednesday in a Macron Cup game against Northwich Victoria, they narrowly missed out on the night losing 4-3 on penalties. An improving side by all accounts are Cheadle and with changes happening off the park they are likely to be a dark horse for next season.
Abbey Hulton and Atherton LR go head to head at Birches Head Road, only two points separating these clubs who sit sixteenth and fourteenth respectively. Both will be looking to at least aim for a top ten finish at the end of the campaign and will View this as the type of games that represents an opportunity to gain three points.
Carlisle City and Stockport Town are still in touch with the top sides currently in ninth and eleventh respectively in the table and like Holker in tenth, both are outside chances for the play-offs but still technically in with a shout although with the games likely coming thick and fast now it will take a run of championship proportions if they are to barge their way into the top six.
Nelson welcome New Mills at Little Wembley with Nelson likely already to next season but with still targets to aim at. New Mills are currently twelfth in the table but did their morale - and their goal difference the world of good on Monday night with a comprehensive 5-2 win away at Atherton LR, a win which also saw them leap frog their opponents in the table.
