Weekend preview - Friday 15th/Saturday 16th February 2019
Fri 15th February 2019 | General | By Patrick Burke
An important weekend is in the offing as we look forward to fixtures in all three divisions as well as quarter-finals in both of the Hallmark Security League’s cup competitions.
We’ll start with Friday night’s Macron Cup tie as 1874 Northwich take on Barnoldswick Town in an all Premier Division clash.
This will be the 12th placed hosts’ first game for three weeks, when a 5-1 thrashing of West Didsbury & Chorlton ended a run of four straight losses.
One of those defeats saw them go down 3-2 at Barlick, who sit 5th despite that being their only win in their last five (although they have lost just one of their last six).
The remaining last eight ties take place on Saturday, with the potential for a real cracker as Premier Division leaders City of Liverpool welcome in-form Northwich Victoria.
The Purps lead at the top has been cut to eight points following back-to-back defeats, so the cup which they won in 2016 offers a chance to bounce back.
But they will face a very tough test against a Vics side who have won their last five, rising to 4th and reaching the Buildbase FA Vase quarter-finals.
3rd placed Congleton Town will also be looking for this competition to spark a return to form as they seek to end a five game winless run at home to First Division South outfit Cammell Laird 1907.
Lairds may sit 18th in their division, but it’s been a good week after a much needed league win at Barnton last weekend, and they saw their cup successes continue on Tuesday by progressing to the semi-finals of the Cheshire Senior Cup at the expense of Stockport Town.
The final tie is an all First Division North affair as Avro meet Nelson. The home side sit 2nd, and saw off Garstang to reach the semi-finals of the First Division Cup last weekend – their tenth victory out of 11 in all competitions.
The only side to hold them during that run were the Admirals – who drew 1-1 at Avro on Boxing Day – and although Andy Harrison’s side sit 16th in the table, they have won back-to-back games going into this one.
There is one remaining First Division Cup quarter-final to be played on Saturday, as Carlisle City meet Ellesmere Rangers. City are 6th in the First Division North, but have lost six of their last seven and this week saw manager James Tose depart the club.
They face an Ellesmere side sitting second-bottom in the First Division South having won just one of their last seven, although a respectable point against Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday gives them something to build on.
In the Premier Division, none of the top five are in action, giving 6th placed Runcorn Town the opportunity to build on last weekend’s 2-1 victory over City of Liverpool, which made it seven points from a possible nine in the league.
They travel to second bottom Hanley Town, who are two points from safety after just one win from 12, despite an upturn in fortunes under Micky Morton.
8th placed Charnock Richard will also hope to take advantage of the inactivity of the teams above them by returning to winning ways away at West Didsbury & Chorlton.
West sit third from bottom, and their last six have seen them win three and suffer three heavy defeats, so they will hope for more of the former to move further clear of the drop zone.
Silsden followed up their fantastic three points at City of Liverpool with another at Squires Gate last Saturday, moving up to 10th and suggesting that their slump is over as they seek to replicate their early season form.
Next up is a home game against 14th placed Litherland REMYCA, who haven’t played for four weeks since a 3-0 reverse at Ashton Athletic.
11th placed Squires Gate will seek to bounce back from a run of just one win from five as they travel to Winsford United.
The home side sit 17th and just two points clear of the drop zone after five defeats from six, despite an encouraging performance at 2nd placed Bootle last weekend.
Irlam saw their Vase adventure ended by Chertsey Town at the last 16 stage last weekend, so attention now shifts to the league, where they sit 13th having won two of their last three matches.
They travel to 16th placed Padiham, who haven’t played for almost a month following a 12 match winless streak which sees them just three points above the bottom two.
Whitchurch Alport sit 15th having won only one of their last eight going into a home game against bottom side Abbey Hey.
The visitors are ten points from safety with a game in hand, and after a promising run, they have now lost four of their last five.
In the First Division North, neither of the top two are in action, so 3rd placed Lower Breck can close the gap with the sides above them as they welcome Chadderton.
The hosts have won six of their last eight in the league, triumphing 7-1 and 8-1 on the last two Saturdays, although they required a late equaliser to salvage a point at Garstang on Wednesday. Their visitors sit 13th having won just one of their last five.
5th placed Prestwich Heys will hope for a response to three defeats out of four when they travel to Daisy Hill.
The hosts are second bottom and three points from safety having won just one of their last 11, although they have taken a point from their last two, and were only denied all three in injury time by Steeton last week.
Shelley’s form has been mixed of late with four defeats from their last six, but last weekend’s 2-0 win at Holker Old Boys moved them up to 7th going into a home game against St Helens Town.
Their opponents sit 17th, six points clear of the bottom two after recording an important 4-2 victory at Ashton Town in their last outing.
9th placed Garstang are winless in five, although three have ended in draws, as they entertain AFC Blackpool. The away side sit 14th and have lost just one of their last six, drawing 1-1 against leaders Longridge Town in their last outing three weeks back.
Fresh from reaching the last four of the First Division Cup with victory at AFC Liverpool last Sunday, 10th placed Bacup Borough will seek to follow that up at home to Holker Old Boys.
Impressive back-to-back wins against Daisy Hill and Lower Breck lifted the visitors out of the drop zone to 18th, but last weekend’s reverse against Shelley means the cushion remains just three points.
Cleator Moor Celtic in 11th have lost four of their last five, so will want to bounce back at home to a Steeton side who sit just a place below them but are winless in ten – although six of those have ended in draws.
15th placed Ashton Town had been on a decent run after taking seven points from nine prior to defeat to St Helens Town, so they will seek to bounce back away at bottom side Atherton LR.
They remain 12 points from safety after a seven game winless run in which they have lost five, although the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture will provide some encouragement.
In the First Division South, the action starts on Friday night, when 2nd placed Wythenshawe Amateurs will seek to cut the four point gap to the summit away at FC Oswestry Town.
The hosts sit 8th having lost just one of their last nine and won seven of those, whilst the Ammies have won six of their last eight and lost only one of their last 16 league outings.
They will hope to put the pressure on leaders Rylands for when they host St Martins on Saturday.
Three successive wins by three goal margins suggests that the hosts are over their mini blip around New Year, and they take on opponents who are 9th but will be full of confidence after a seven game winless streak was ended with an emphatic 9-1 hammering of Stone Dominoes last weekend. They also beat Rylands 2-0 in the reverse fixture in September.
There is another big clash at the top as 4th meets 3rd when Vauxhall Motors take on Stone Old Alleynians in what looks a potential for game of the day at the Syncreon Arena.
Vauxhalls are the division’s form team having won five and drawn one of their last six, but their opponents have won four of their last five in the league, and came back from 3-0 down to draw with Motors in September.
Two teams who are still well in contention meet as 7th placed Sandbach United take on 6th placed Wythenshawe Town.
The hosts have won their last three, reaching the semi-finals of the First Division Cup at Cheadle Heath Nomads last weekend, whilst their visitors have returned to form with three victories from their last four.
11th placed Cheadle Town were beaten 4-0 at Wythenshawe Town last weekend and have now won just one of their last eight as they travel to bottom side Stone Dominoes. The hosts have now lost their last 11 games, and sit 14 points from safety.
Barnton in 12th have now taken just one point from their last four matches, so will seek to return to top form when they host New Mills. The Millers are 17th, and go into this one having lost five of their last six.
Maine Road’s resurgence under Ray Barnett and Jeff Newman continued last weekend as they came from three goals behind to triumph 5-3 at high-flying Abbey Hulton United, making it five wins on the spin.
Next up is a home fixture against 16th placed Alsager Town, who are winless in 13, though had drawn their previous three before losing 2-0 to Stockport Town last time out.
With the forecast looking very promising for this weekend, get down to your local club!
Weekend preview - Friday 15th/Saturday 16th February 2019
Fri 15th February 2019 | General
By Patrick Burke
An important weekend is in the offing as we look forward to fixtures in all three divisions as well as quarter-finals in both of the Hallmark Security League’s cup competitions.
We’ll start with Friday night’s Macron Cup tie as 1874 Northwich take on Barnoldswick Town in an all Premier Division clash.
This will be the 12th placed hosts’ first game for three weeks, when a 5-1 thrashing of West Didsbury & Chorlton ended a run of four straight losses.
One of those defeats saw them go down 3-2 at Barlick, who sit 5th despite that being their only win in their last five (although they have lost just one of their last six).
The remaining last eight ties take place on Saturday, with the potential for a real cracker as Premier Division leaders City of Liverpool welcome in-form Northwich Victoria.
The Purps lead at the top has been cut to eight points following back-to-back defeats, so the cup which they won in 2016 offers a chance to bounce back.
But they will face a very tough test against a Vics side who have won their last five, rising to 4th and reaching the Buildbase FA Vase quarter-finals.
3rd placed Congleton Town will also be looking for this competition to spark a return to form as they seek to end a five game winless run at home to First Division South outfit Cammell Laird 1907.
Lairds may sit 18th in their division, but it’s been a good week after a much needed league win at Barnton last weekend, and they saw their cup successes continue on Tuesday by progressing to the semi-finals of the Cheshire Senior Cup at the expense of Stockport Town.
The final tie is an all First Division North affair as Avro meet Nelson. The home side sit 2nd, and saw off Garstang to reach the semi-finals of the First Division Cup last weekend – their tenth victory out of 11 in all competitions.
The only side to hold them during that run were the Admirals – who drew 1-1 at Avro on Boxing Day – and although Andy Harrison’s side sit 16th in the table, they have won back-to-back games going into this one.
There is one remaining First Division Cup quarter-final to be played on Saturday, as Carlisle City meet Ellesmere Rangers. City are 6th in the First Division North, but have lost six of their last seven and this week saw manager James Tose depart the club.
They face an Ellesmere side sitting second-bottom in the First Division South having won just one of their last seven, although a respectable point against Cheadle Heath Nomads on Tuesday gives them something to build on.
In the Premier Division, none of the top five are in action, giving 6th placed Runcorn Town the opportunity to build on last weekend’s 2-1 victory over City of Liverpool, which made it seven points from a possible nine in the league.
They travel to second bottom Hanley Town, who are two points from safety after just one win from 12, despite an upturn in fortunes under Micky Morton.
8th placed Charnock Richard will also hope to take advantage of the inactivity of the teams above them by returning to winning ways away at West Didsbury & Chorlton.
West sit third from bottom, and their last six have seen them win three and suffer three heavy defeats, so they will hope for more of the former to move further clear of the drop zone.
Silsden followed up their fantastic three points at City of Liverpool with another at Squires Gate last Saturday, moving up to 10th and suggesting that their slump is over as they seek to replicate their early season form.
Next up is a home game against 14th placed Litherland REMYCA, who haven’t played for four weeks since a 3-0 reverse at Ashton Athletic.
11th placed Squires Gate will seek to bounce back from a run of just one win from five as they travel to Winsford United.
The home side sit 17th and just two points clear of the drop zone after five defeats from six, despite an encouraging performance at 2nd placed Bootle last weekend.
Irlam saw their Vase adventure ended by Chertsey Town at the last 16 stage last weekend, so attention now shifts to the league, where they sit 13th having won two of their last three matches.
They travel to 16th placed Padiham, who haven’t played for almost a month following a 12 match winless streak which sees them just three points above the bottom two.
Whitchurch Alport sit 15th having won only one of their last eight going into a home game against bottom side Abbey Hey.
The visitors are ten points from safety with a game in hand, and after a promising run, they have now lost four of their last five.
In the First Division North, neither of the top two are in action, so 3rd placed Lower Breck can close the gap with the sides above them as they welcome Chadderton.
The hosts have won six of their last eight in the league, triumphing 7-1 and 8-1 on the last two Saturdays, although they required a late equaliser to salvage a point at Garstang on Wednesday. Their visitors sit 13th having won just one of their last five.
5th placed Prestwich Heys will hope for a response to three defeats out of four when they travel to Daisy Hill.
The hosts are second bottom and three points from safety having won just one of their last 11, although they have taken a point from their last two, and were only denied all three in injury time by Steeton last week.
Shelley’s form has been mixed of late with four defeats from their last six, but last weekend’s 2-0 win at Holker Old Boys moved them up to 7th going into a home game against St Helens Town.
Their opponents sit 17th, six points clear of the bottom two after recording an important 4-2 victory at Ashton Town in their last outing.
9th placed Garstang are winless in five, although three have ended in draws, as they entertain AFC Blackpool. The away side sit 14th and have lost just one of their last six, drawing 1-1 against leaders Longridge Town in their last outing three weeks back.
Fresh from reaching the last four of the First Division Cup with victory at AFC Liverpool last Sunday, 10th placed Bacup Borough will seek to follow that up at home to Holker Old Boys.
Impressive back-to-back wins against Daisy Hill and Lower Breck lifted the visitors out of the drop zone to 18th, but last weekend’s reverse against Shelley means the cushion remains just three points.
Cleator Moor Celtic in 11th have lost four of their last five, so will want to bounce back at home to a Steeton side who sit just a place below them but are winless in ten – although six of those have ended in draws.
15th placed Ashton Town had been on a decent run after taking seven points from nine prior to defeat to St Helens Town, so they will seek to bounce back away at bottom side Atherton LR.
They remain 12 points from safety after a seven game winless run in which they have lost five, although the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture will provide some encouragement.
In the First Division South, the action starts on Friday night, when 2nd placed Wythenshawe Amateurs will seek to cut the four point gap to the summit away at FC Oswestry Town.
The hosts sit 8th having lost just one of their last nine and won seven of those, whilst the Ammies have won six of their last eight and lost only one of their last 16 league outings.
They will hope to put the pressure on leaders Rylands for when they host St Martins on Saturday.
Three successive wins by three goal margins suggests that the hosts are over their mini blip around New Year, and they take on opponents who are 9th but will be full of confidence after a seven game winless streak was ended with an emphatic 9-1 hammering of Stone Dominoes last weekend. They also beat Rylands 2-0 in the reverse fixture in September.
There is another big clash at the top as 4th meets 3rd when Vauxhall Motors take on Stone Old Alleynians in what looks a potential for game of the day at the Syncreon Arena.
Vauxhalls are the division’s form team having won five and drawn one of their last six, but their opponents have won four of their last five in the league, and came back from 3-0 down to draw with Motors in September.
Two teams who are still well in contention meet as 7th placed Sandbach United take on 6th placed Wythenshawe Town.
The hosts have won their last three, reaching the semi-finals of the First Division Cup at Cheadle Heath Nomads last weekend, whilst their visitors have returned to form with three victories from their last four.
11th placed Cheadle Town were beaten 4-0 at Wythenshawe Town last weekend and have now won just one of their last eight as they travel to bottom side Stone Dominoes. The hosts have now lost their last 11 games, and sit 14 points from safety.
Barnton in 12th have now taken just one point from their last four matches, so will seek to return to top form when they host New Mills. The Millers are 17th, and go into this one having lost five of their last six.
Maine Road’s resurgence under Ray Barnett and Jeff Newman continued last weekend as they came from three goals behind to triumph 5-3 at high-flying Abbey Hulton United, making it five wins on the spin.
Next up is a home fixture against 16th placed Alsager Town, who are winless in 13, though had drawn their previous three before losing 2-0 to Stockport Town last time out.
With the forecast looking very promising for this weekend, get down to your local club!
