Week 25: Preview
Fri 9th January 2026 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
Not much to discuss from last weekend – let’s see if Mother nature will give us the benefit of the doubt this time around, and let’s see who is scheduled to be playing whom this weekend!
Saturday:
Premier Division:
Another full fixture list to bring to you this weekend – let’s see how many go ahead!
Top of the table as 2025 becomes 2026 were Padiham, but due to a postponement last time around, Wythenshawe have been able to alley-oop them into first. Both sides are pencilled in to be play this weekend, with Wythy taking on bottom side Litherland REMYCA at home, and the Storks going on the road to meet Atherton LR.
It was South Liverpool who the new table-toppers took maximum points away from last weekend, with the side now in 13th hoping to course correct away at eighth-placed Irlam.
The only other game that went ahead in the Prem last weekend was a goal-fest contested between Pilkington and Burscough, which finished 6-2 to the visitors. Pilks don’t feature on this weekend’s fixture list, but Burscough do, and they’ll be hoping to carry that momentum from their giant win into an away trip halfway across the Irish Sea to face FC Isle of Man in the late kick-off.
Just like last weekend, West Didsbury & Chorlton and FC St Helens currently feature as the bottom two teams inside the play-off places right now, and these two sides will be facing one another this time around, barring anything unforeseen. The SMS Pro Soccer Park is Saturday’s venue of choice, and third-placed Ramsbottom United will likely be keeping a close eye on how that one turns out, whilst they go on their travels to meet Stockport Town.
Chadderton remain the closest challengers to the top five at the time of writing, and they will feature this weekend, away at Euxton Villa, who have completed just one game in all competitions since the end of November.
There’s a teasing clash on paper scheduled to come from the Abbey Stadium this weekend, as third-bottom Abbey Hey host second-bottom City of Liverpool, with just two points and the dotted line of the drop zone separating the two sides.
Slightly further up the division, in 19th, AFC Liverpool will be hoping to extend the gap between themselves and the drop zone beyond the 11-point margin it already is when they travel to mid-table Prestwich Heys.
A win for Heys, mind, could see them creep into the top half of the table, should either Longridge Town or Glossop North End fall short in their own anticipated home matches on Saturday. They’ll be in action against 15th placed Cheadle Town and 17th place Barnoldswick Town, respectively.
First Division North:
Like in the Premier Division, there was little to report from the First Division North last weekend. Three games were played, one of which affected who now tops the division. Thornton Cleveleys have ascended after a 5-2 win last time out, and they will hope to stay there with maximum points against MSB Woolton on Saturday. Their victims last weekend, struggling Maine Road, will do well to lick their wounds when they square off with second-placed Nelson at home this weekend.
Also in action last weekend were eighth-placed Bacup Borough, who were unable to capitalise on everyone else’s snow day and go level with daybreak leaders Nelson, after a 2-0 defeat. They’ll want to right the ship back at the Brian Boys West View Stadium on Saturday with the visit of second-bottom Ashton Athletic. The victors from last weekend’s game against Bacup were AFC Blackpool, who went four points from top with that win, and can go even closer from sixth place if they make it two from two away at Maghull.
Both seventh-placed Darwen and fifth-placed Droylsden will know that a win this weekend might take them within a point of top spot – the catch is, they’ll be playing against one another for that opportunity, at the former’s Multevo Group Anchor Ground.
With both Maine Road and Ashton Athletic scheduled for action on Saturday, fourth-bottom Colne will fancy themselves to give 11th placed Holker Old Boys a real run for their money when they welcome them to the Haffners Eats Stadium.
Hoping that Colne fail to win this weekend will be the division’s current wooden spoon, Garstang, who can shed that title with maximum points and rise to right below the dotted line should results go their way, and if they can pull off a third win of the season when they host Daisy Hill.
First Division South:
Just one game and one goal to report from last weekend’s fixtures in the First Division South. Stockport Georgians recorded a 1-0 win, and they can bag a second victory on the spin when they go on the road to second-bottom Haughmond on Saturday. The side that fell to Georgians last Saturday were Cammell Laird 1907, who can pick themselves up this weekend with a positive result against fellow 22-point side, Market Drayton Town.
Regardless of potential results last weekend, Runcorn Town would’ve remained top, and they can further cement that position with a fifth straight league win when they’re hopefully back in action this weekend with the visit of third-bottom Shawbury United. Still eagerly anticipating a slip up from the table-toppers are second-placed Eccleshall, who are also scheduled to be back on the field this weekend with an away visit to 11th placed Allscott Heath.
Completing the play-off picture, Telford Town aren’t in action this weekend, but fifth-placed Stafford Town are, on the road to do battle with fifth bottom – yet seven points ahead of the drop zone – Wolves Casuals.
Completing the bottom three are bottom-rung Wolverhampton Sporting Community, who are hoping to avoid defeat for the first time since surprising Telford with a draw in early October when they compete in the long-name derby on Saturday – Cheadle Heath Nomads will be their hosts.
Sandbach United can re-insert themselves into the play-off picture with maximum points and one of Stafford or Georgians falling short this weekend when they go away to ninth-placed New Mills.
There’s even a scant chance that seventh-placed Barnton could level their points total to that of fifth if results go their way this weekend – they’d be relying on both teams directly above them to slip up, and they’d need to put 16th placed Alsager Town to the sword, but the gap between themselves and the play-off places is just three points going into Saturday.
Finally, if Barnton fail to take anything away from Alsager, their position as the division’s dark horses for the play-offs could well be left on the verge of being usurped by one of eighth-placed Foley Meir, or 10th placed Ashville, subject to who wins that face-off this weekend at the Trentham Foods Stadium.
Week 25: Preview
Fri 9th January 2026 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
Not much to discuss from last weekend – let’s see if Mother nature will give us the benefit of the doubt this time around, and let’s see who is scheduled to be playing whom this weekend!
Saturday:
Premier Division:
Another full fixture list to bring to you this weekend – let’s see how many go ahead!
Top of the table as 2025 becomes 2026 were Padiham, but due to a postponement last time around, Wythenshawe have been able to alley-oop them into first. Both sides are pencilled in to be play this weekend, with Wythy taking on bottom side Litherland REMYCA at home, and the Storks going on the road to meet Atherton LR.
It was South Liverpool who the new table-toppers took maximum points away from last weekend, with the side now in 13th hoping to course correct away at eighth-placed Irlam.
The only other game that went ahead in the Prem last weekend was a goal-fest contested between Pilkington and Burscough, which finished 6-2 to the visitors. Pilks don’t feature on this weekend’s fixture list, but Burscough do, and they’ll be hoping to carry that momentum from their giant win into an away trip halfway across the Irish Sea to face FC Isle of Man in the late kick-off.
Just like last weekend, West Didsbury & Chorlton and FC St Helens currently feature as the bottom two teams inside the play-off places right now, and these two sides will be facing one another this time around, barring anything unforeseen. The SMS Pro Soccer Park is Saturday’s venue of choice, and third-placed Ramsbottom United will likely be keeping a close eye on how that one turns out, whilst they go on their travels to meet Stockport Town.
Chadderton remain the closest challengers to the top five at the time of writing, and they will feature this weekend, away at Euxton Villa, who have completed just one game in all competitions since the end of November.
There’s a teasing clash on paper scheduled to come from the Abbey Stadium this weekend, as third-bottom Abbey Hey host second-bottom City of Liverpool, with just two points and the dotted line of the drop zone separating the two sides.
Slightly further up the division, in 19th, AFC Liverpool will be hoping to extend the gap between themselves and the drop zone beyond the 11-point margin it already is when they travel to mid-table Prestwich Heys.
A win for Heys, mind, could see them creep into the top half of the table, should either Longridge Town or Glossop North End fall short in their own anticipated home matches on Saturday. They’ll be in action against 15th placed Cheadle Town and 17th place Barnoldswick Town, respectively.
First Division North:
Like in the Premier Division, there was little to report from the First Division North last weekend. Three games were played, one of which affected who now tops the division. Thornton Cleveleys have ascended after a 5-2 win last time out, and they will hope to stay there with maximum points against MSB Woolton on Saturday. Their victims last weekend, struggling Maine Road, will do well to lick their wounds when they square off with second-placed Nelson at home this weekend.
Also in action last weekend were eighth-placed Bacup Borough, who were unable to capitalise on everyone else’s snow day and go level with daybreak leaders Nelson, after a 2-0 defeat. They’ll want to right the ship back at the Brian Boys West View Stadium on Saturday with the visit of second-bottom Ashton Athletic. The victors from last weekend’s game against Bacup were AFC Blackpool, who went four points from top with that win, and can go even closer from sixth place if they make it two from two away at Maghull.
Both seventh-placed Darwen and fifth-placed Droylsden will know that a win this weekend might take them within a point of top spot – the catch is, they’ll be playing against one another for that opportunity, at the former’s Multevo Group Anchor Ground.
With both Maine Road and Ashton Athletic scheduled for action on Saturday, fourth-bottom Colne will fancy themselves to give 11th placed Holker Old Boys a real run for their money when they welcome them to the Haffners Eats Stadium.
Hoping that Colne fail to win this weekend will be the division’s current wooden spoon, Garstang, who can shed that title with maximum points and rise to right below the dotted line should results go their way, and if they can pull off a third win of the season when they host Daisy Hill.
First Division South:
Just one game and one goal to report from last weekend’s fixtures in the First Division South. Stockport Georgians recorded a 1-0 win, and they can bag a second victory on the spin when they go on the road to second-bottom Haughmond on Saturday. The side that fell to Georgians last Saturday were Cammell Laird 1907, who can pick themselves up this weekend with a positive result against fellow 22-point side, Market Drayton Town.
Regardless of potential results last weekend, Runcorn Town would’ve remained top, and they can further cement that position with a fifth straight league win when they’re hopefully back in action this weekend with the visit of third-bottom Shawbury United. Still eagerly anticipating a slip up from the table-toppers are second-placed Eccleshall, who are also scheduled to be back on the field this weekend with an away visit to 11th placed Allscott Heath.
Completing the play-off picture, Telford Town aren’t in action this weekend, but fifth-placed Stafford Town are, on the road to do battle with fifth bottom – yet seven points ahead of the drop zone – Wolves Casuals.
Completing the bottom three are bottom-rung Wolverhampton Sporting Community, who are hoping to avoid defeat for the first time since surprising Telford with a draw in early October when they compete in the long-name derby on Saturday – Cheadle Heath Nomads will be their hosts.
Sandbach United can re-insert themselves into the play-off picture with maximum points and one of Stafford or Georgians falling short this weekend when they go away to ninth-placed New Mills.
There’s even a scant chance that seventh-placed Barnton could level their points total to that of fifth if results go their way this weekend – they’d be relying on both teams directly above them to slip up, and they’d need to put 16th placed Alsager Town to the sword, but the gap between themselves and the play-off places is just three points going into Saturday.
Finally, if Barnton fail to take anything away from Alsager, their position as the division’s dark horses for the play-offs could well be left on the verge of being usurped by one of eighth-placed Foley Meir, or 10th placed Ashville, subject to who wins that face-off this weekend at the Trentham Foods Stadium.
