Week 32: Review
Mon 2nd March 2026 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper
It has been an action-packed weekend in the NWCFL, with Groundhop and FA Vase action to cover. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.
Groundhop 2026
Friday:
The Groundhop around the Lancashire area of the NWCFL began with a tense affair from the Multevo Group Anchor Ground, where Darwen FC and visiting Colne played out a 0-0 draw. It was a point that meant much more to the visitors than the hosts, given how the rest of the weekend would play out in the First Division North.
Saturday:
The First Division North took centre stage again all throughout Saturday, beginning at 11:00am, with Fulwood Amateurs welcoming bottom side Garstang to Lightfoot Green Lane. This match saw the first goals of the 2026 Groundhop, as an early Spencer Lucas brace for Fulwood was cancelled out by two late first half replies by Garstang’s Weslie Bajraliu. The second half was scoreless, with the match ending 2-2.
In Blackpool, the celebrations were halted somewhat by pitch conditions at Gamble Road, with Thornton Cleveleys and MSB Woolton unable to play on schedule.
The ownness was on Squires Gate and Nelson to restart the fire at 5pm, and they did not disappoint. A 2-1 half time lead spiralled into an eventual 5-3 win for Nelson, with both Connor Hughes and Luke Hepple bagging braces on the coast to help the visitors break into the top five in the table.
The day concluded with one final game in Blackpool at the Mechanics Ground, where AFC Blackpool wasted no time taking the game to visiting Holker Old Boys. Joshua Smith and Joseph Robinson both scored in the opening quarter hour as the home side ran out 3-0 winners.
Sunday:
The final day of the 2026 Groundhop finally saw a non-First Division North game take place, with Prem sides Atherton LR and Euxton Villa going toe to toe at Crilly Park. The home side had been unbeaten in 12 coming into this one, winning 10 of those games, and weren’t to be slowed down in their play-off push on Sunday. A goal either side of half time saw them secure a 2-0 win.
Rovers weren’t the only Bolton-based team to secure a 2-0 win on the last day of this season’s Groundhop. That other side would be Daisy Hill, of the First Division North, who welcomed Steeton to the Ginge Power Stadium and saw them off thanks to goals by Liam Sheppard and Dean Singleton.
Other Games:
Friday:
Premier Division:
FC St Helens left it late to beat Burscough in the only non-Groundhop game from the NWCFL on Friday night. Ryan Sinnott’s 87th minute goal was enough for the hosts to eek out a 1-0 win.
Saturday:
Isuzu FA Vase, sixth round:
It’s double heartbreak for the remaining NWCFL sides in the Vase after this weekend.
First Division North outfit Droylsden were the only Step Six team left in the competition at this quarter-final stage, but they were undone 4-2 at home by Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side Cockfosters.
In an even tighter game, Prem side West Didsbury & Chorlton led for the majority of their away trip to the greater Bristol area against Hellenic League Premier Division side Hallen AFC, but they were pegged back by a 93rd minute equaliser to make it 1-1 and beaten 6-5 in the subsequent shootout.
Premier Division:
It was a day for surprises in the Premier Division on Saturday. Rampant play-off candidates Chadderton continued their sparkling run of form to see off runaway league leaders Wythenshawe in a back-and-forth affair that finished 3-2 to Chaddy.
From the top of the table to the bottom, where City of Liverpool broke a 19-game losing streak with a gutsy 1-1 comeback draw at the Community Ground against Cheadle Town.
They weren’t the only relegation zone occupiers to avoid defeat on Saturday, as Litherland REMYCA managed only their third win of the season in a home game against Pilkington. Mark Madden bagged twice for the home side as they ran out dominant 4-1 winners.
Some late theatrics were required for Abbey Hey to take anything away from the day’s late kick off at the Bowl. FC Isle of Man looked to have the match sewn up until a 97th minute Christopher Rogers goal for Abbey Hey saw them snatch a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat.
Connor Berry was the hero for Glossop North End as they recorded maximum points on home soil this past Saturday. Longridge Town were the visitors to the Asgard Engineering Stadium, but they were undone twice in the first 20 minutes in an eventual 2-1 defeat to GNE.
Another team that reaped the benefits of an early flurry on Saturday in the Prem were Prestwich Heys, whose away trip to Charnock Richard started perfectly with two goals in 14 minutes. Despite a Charnock goal before the break, Heys were able to survive the second 45 minutes and come away with a 2-1 win.
Other Scores:
- Irlam 1-0 AFC Liverpool
- Ramsbottom United 1-0 Padiham
- Stockport Town 1-1 South Liverpool
First Division North:
From two non-Groundhop games that were scheduled this weekend in the North, only one took place – Bacup Borough and Ashton Town saw their game postponed due to the pitch conditions at the Brian Boys West View Stadium.
No such conditions deterred the officials overseeing the clash between Ashton Athletic and Maine Road, who began the day with a matching points total of 21 – both inside the drop zone in the standings. Hosting Athletic came out on top in this six-pointer, with Joshua Nicholson and Adam Gilchrist scoring in a 2-1 win.
First Division South:
Ready for goals? The First Division South had them in spades this weekend. Let’s start with league leaders Runcorn Town, who hosted crisis club Telford Town on Saturday and showed very little mercy on their visitors. Jamie Apperley scored three as Runcorn put 12 (yes, TWELVE) past their opponents without reply. A 12-0 win – unsurprisingly, Runcorn’s first ever victory by such a scoreline.
New Mills ought to feel very hard done by that they weren’t able to record the weekend’s biggest margin of victory after they threw everything they had at bottom side Haughmond. Maysan Benarbia and Millen Brown both scored hat-tricks as they soared to an 8-0 victory over their visitors.
The next-highest scoring fixture came from Cromley Road, where Stockport Georgians continued to prove they can hang in the play-off picture with a 3-1 victory over third-bottom Alsager Town. Only an own goal prevented them keeping a clean sheet.
Alsager now sit above the relegation zone purely on goal difference after second-bottom Shawbury United scored a hard-fought victory over play-off hopefuls Sandbach United. A third minute Harry Farnsworth goal secured a 1-0 win for the hosts, and they are now within spitting distance of the safety places.
They weren’t the only side to reap the rewards of a one-goal game in the South this weekend. Ashville, who began the weekend in seventh, now sit inside the top five after a 1-0 dismissal of second-placed Eccleshall – it’s a result that extends the gap between Eccleshall and table-topping Runcorn to seven points at the time of writing.
Ashville are one of two newcomers to the play-off places after this weekend. Stafford Town have joined them in that regard, moving up to fourth in the table after a commanding 3-0 victory on home soil against Market Drayton Town.
Other scores:
- Allscott Heath P-P Cammell Laird 1907
- Foley Meir P-P Wolverhampton Casuals
Week 32: Review
Mon 2nd March 2026 | Match Reviews
By Jay Cooper
It has been an action-packed weekend in the NWCFL, with Groundhop and FA Vase action to cover. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.
Groundhop 2026
Friday:
The Groundhop around the Lancashire area of the NWCFL began with a tense affair from the Multevo Group Anchor Ground, where Darwen FC and visiting Colne played out a 0-0 draw. It was a point that meant much more to the visitors than the hosts, given how the rest of the weekend would play out in the First Division North.
Saturday:
The First Division North took centre stage again all throughout Saturday, beginning at 11:00am, with Fulwood Amateurs welcoming bottom side Garstang to Lightfoot Green Lane. This match saw the first goals of the 2026 Groundhop, as an early Spencer Lucas brace for Fulwood was cancelled out by two late first half replies by Garstang’s Weslie Bajraliu. The second half was scoreless, with the match ending 2-2.
In Blackpool, the celebrations were halted somewhat by pitch conditions at Gamble Road, with Thornton Cleveleys and MSB Woolton unable to play on schedule.
The ownness was on Squires Gate and Nelson to restart the fire at 5pm, and they did not disappoint. A 2-1 half time lead spiralled into an eventual 5-3 win for Nelson, with both Connor Hughes and Luke Hepple bagging braces on the coast to help the visitors break into the top five in the table.
The day concluded with one final game in Blackpool at the Mechanics Ground, where AFC Blackpool wasted no time taking the game to visiting Holker Old Boys. Joshua Smith and Joseph Robinson both scored in the opening quarter hour as the home side ran out 3-0 winners.
Sunday:
The final day of the 2026 Groundhop finally saw a non-First Division North game take place, with Prem sides Atherton LR and Euxton Villa going toe to toe at Crilly Park. The home side had been unbeaten in 12 coming into this one, winning 10 of those games, and weren’t to be slowed down in their play-off push on Sunday. A goal either side of half time saw them secure a 2-0 win.
Rovers weren’t the only Bolton-based team to secure a 2-0 win on the last day of this season’s Groundhop. That other side would be Daisy Hill, of the First Division North, who welcomed Steeton to the Ginge Power Stadium and saw them off thanks to goals by Liam Sheppard and Dean Singleton.
Other Games:
Friday:
Premier Division:
FC St Helens left it late to beat Burscough in the only non-Groundhop game from the NWCFL on Friday night. Ryan Sinnott’s 87th minute goal was enough for the hosts to eek out a 1-0 win.
Saturday:
Isuzu FA Vase, sixth round:
It’s double heartbreak for the remaining NWCFL sides in the Vase after this weekend.
First Division North outfit Droylsden were the only Step Six team left in the competition at this quarter-final stage, but they were undone 4-2 at home by Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side Cockfosters.
In an even tighter game, Prem side West Didsbury & Chorlton led for the majority of their away trip to the greater Bristol area against Hellenic League Premier Division side Hallen AFC, but they were pegged back by a 93rd minute equaliser to make it 1-1 and beaten 6-5 in the subsequent shootout.
Premier Division:
It was a day for surprises in the Premier Division on Saturday. Rampant play-off candidates Chadderton continued their sparkling run of form to see off runaway league leaders Wythenshawe in a back-and-forth affair that finished 3-2 to Chaddy.
From the top of the table to the bottom, where City of Liverpool broke a 19-game losing streak with a gutsy 1-1 comeback draw at the Community Ground against Cheadle Town.
They weren’t the only relegation zone occupiers to avoid defeat on Saturday, as Litherland REMYCA managed only their third win of the season in a home game against Pilkington. Mark Madden bagged twice for the home side as they ran out dominant 4-1 winners.
Some late theatrics were required for Abbey Hey to take anything away from the day’s late kick off at the Bowl. FC Isle of Man looked to have the match sewn up until a 97th minute Christopher Rogers goal for Abbey Hey saw them snatch a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat.
Connor Berry was the hero for Glossop North End as they recorded maximum points on home soil this past Saturday. Longridge Town were the visitors to the Asgard Engineering Stadium, but they were undone twice in the first 20 minutes in an eventual 2-1 defeat to GNE.
Another team that reaped the benefits of an early flurry on Saturday in the Prem were Prestwich Heys, whose away trip to Charnock Richard started perfectly with two goals in 14 minutes. Despite a Charnock goal before the break, Heys were able to survive the second 45 minutes and come away with a 2-1 win.
Other Scores:
- Irlam 1-0 AFC Liverpool
- Ramsbottom United 1-0 Padiham
- Stockport Town 1-1 South Liverpool
First Division North:
From two non-Groundhop games that were scheduled this weekend in the North, only one took place – Bacup Borough and Ashton Town saw their game postponed due to the pitch conditions at the Brian Boys West View Stadium.
No such conditions deterred the officials overseeing the clash between Ashton Athletic and Maine Road, who began the day with a matching points total of 21 – both inside the drop zone in the standings. Hosting Athletic came out on top in this six-pointer, with Joshua Nicholson and Adam Gilchrist scoring in a 2-1 win.
First Division South:
Ready for goals? The First Division South had them in spades this weekend. Let’s start with league leaders Runcorn Town, who hosted crisis club Telford Town on Saturday and showed very little mercy on their visitors. Jamie Apperley scored three as Runcorn put 12 (yes, TWELVE) past their opponents without reply. A 12-0 win – unsurprisingly, Runcorn’s first ever victory by such a scoreline.
New Mills ought to feel very hard done by that they weren’t able to record the weekend’s biggest margin of victory after they threw everything they had at bottom side Haughmond. Maysan Benarbia and Millen Brown both scored hat-tricks as they soared to an 8-0 victory over their visitors.
The next-highest scoring fixture came from Cromley Road, where Stockport Georgians continued to prove they can hang in the play-off picture with a 3-1 victory over third-bottom Alsager Town. Only an own goal prevented them keeping a clean sheet.
Alsager now sit above the relegation zone purely on goal difference after second-bottom Shawbury United scored a hard-fought victory over play-off hopefuls Sandbach United. A third minute Harry Farnsworth goal secured a 1-0 win for the hosts, and they are now within spitting distance of the safety places.
They weren’t the only side to reap the rewards of a one-goal game in the South this weekend. Ashville, who began the weekend in seventh, now sit inside the top five after a 1-0 dismissal of second-placed Eccleshall – it’s a result that extends the gap between Eccleshall and table-topping Runcorn to seven points at the time of writing.
Ashville are one of two newcomers to the play-off places after this weekend. Stafford Town have joined them in that regard, moving up to fourth in the table after a commanding 3-0 victory on home soil against Market Drayton Town.
Other scores:
- Allscott Heath P-P Cammell Laird 1907
- Foley Meir P-P Wolverhampton Casuals
