Week 37: Preview

Fri 3rd April 2026 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper

It’s Macron Cup semi-final weekend, with a near-full house of NWCFL fixtures also on offer! Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…

Friday:

Macron Cup, semi-final:

Just four teams remain in the NWCFL’s biggest cup competition, and two of them go toe to toe tonight. AFC Liverpool, currently 13^th in the Premier Division after winning their last four, will welcome First Division North promotion hopefuls Nelson to the Berry Street Garage Stadium, with the visitors currently top of their league table and unbeaten in six.

Saturday:

Macron Cup, semi-final:

Whoever wins that Friday night clash will have their eyes on the second semi-final, happening on Saturday afternoon the Community Ground. It’s an all-Premier Division affair between 10^th placed Burscough and eighth placed West Didsbury & Chorlton, who knocked off Cheadle Town and Thornton Cleveleys respectively at the quarter-final stage

Premier Division:

There are still a healthy eight fixtures on the cards on Saturday from the Prem.

Second-bottom Litherland REMYCA shocked everybody in midweek with a 2-1 win against the league leaders and can further give themselves hope of the great escape by repeating those same heroics on Saturday against second-placed Ramsbottom United.

Wythenshawe have stayed top of the pile despite that shock defeat a few days ago, but they can put things right with a return to form on Saturday as they go away to 20^th placed Barnoldswick Town.

It would take an almighty collapse from the top two to insert third placed Atherton LR into the title mix, given that they are three and four points behind on the two sides above them and have played an extra game. But they can strengthen their grip on third by advancing on a 21-game unbeaten run at home to 12^th placed Charnock Richard.

Irlam will take part in a make-or-break game this weekend when it comes to their play-off ambitions. They face fourth placed Chadderton away from home knowing that defeat could see them fall as many seven points behind in the play-off hunt despite a game in hand.

To form that gap between the top five and the rest of the chasing pack, fifth placed Padiham, also in action this weekend, would need to record maximum points against a side in desperate need of a streak-breaker. The visitors to the Ruby Civil Arena on Saturday will be third-bottom Pilkington, who have lost their last 12.

Like Irlam, seventh placed Prestwich Heys have a game in hand on three of the four sides in the play-off places, and they would record a historic 10^th straight victory this weekend if they can see off FC Isle of Man away from home in the day’s late kick-off.

Failure to win this weekend would officially put ninth placed FC St Helens out of contention for the play-offs as they host 15^th placed Glossop North End at the SMS Pro Soccer Park. Meanwhile, there will also be a lower-mid-table clash with pride on the line as 16^th placed South Liverpool travel to 17^th placed Euxton Villa.

First Division North:

The North becomes the second division on the weekend with eight games on show on Saturday.

With Nelson otherwise occupied, the door is open for second placed Droylsden to close the gap on the league leaders to just a point with victory over ninth placed Ashton Town, albeit, they will have played one more game than Nelson in the process.

The field is narrowing in the dramatic race for the play-offs in the First Division North. Maghull are currently in the driving seat, sitting third, and victory over fourth-bottom Colne away from home would continue that fact, and potentially condemn their opponents to the drop zone, depending on results elsewhere.

Those results include the outcome of the game between third-bottom Ashton Athletic and 10^th placed Daisy Hill, with Ashton just one point from safety going into Saturday; and the outcome of the game between second-bottom Garstang and 13^th placed Steeton, with ‘Stang currently sitting just two points from safety.

Back in the top half, MSB Woolton are arguably the best placed team in the play-off race – fourth, with two games in hand on three of their compatriots. This weekend, they welcome bottom side Maine Road to Jericho Lane – a defeat and a Colne win would confirm Road’s relegation on Saturday.

There is also a tantalising six-pointer in the play-off race taking place at the Multevo Group Anchor Ground on Saturday. Sixth placed Darwen FC will meet fifth placed Squires Gate, with the winner assuming a spot in the top five with two league games left – a draw keeps Gate in the top five, albeit by just a point.

Still holding onto two games in hand on three of the sides above them are seventh placed Holker Old Boys, and they are just three points off the pace at this time, so they are not to be forgotten about. They will welcome host 12^th placed Fulwood Amateurs at the Handmark Engineering Stadium on Saturday.

Despite dropping into the bottom half of the table, Bacup Borough are another team with two games in hand on a handful of sides above them in the division. One of those sides is eight placed Thornton Cleveleys, who will visit the Brian Boys West View Stadium on Saturday.

First Division South:

Look at that – we’re three for three! Eight games coming your way from the South.

Runcorn Town got the job done in midweek – they won 6-0 and were crowned winners of the First Division South. Hoping to join them in promotion will be third placed Stockport Georgians, who will welcome the champions to Cromley Road this weekend.

The side who fell victim to the now-champions in midweek were second-bottom Alsager Town, who are also back in action this weekend to host fourth-bottom Market Drayton Town. Alsager come into this match five points adrift of safety with four games remaining.

Slightly more cut and dry is the fate of bottom club Haughmond. This weekend might seal their return to Step 7 of the non-league system, should they fail to record what would only be their fifth win of the campaign against play-off hopefuls Stafford Town at home.

Even if the ‘Mond win, a victory for third-bottom Shawbury United would be enough to officially condemn them to the drop. Maximum points for United would also go a very long way for their own survival hopes, as they go on the road to ninth placed Barnton.

Back in the top five, New Mills, in fourth, are on the road on Saturday to meet 12^th placed Wolves Casuals at Brinsford Stadium. A Millers win and results in their favour elsewhere might see them completely escape sixth placed Stafford Town in the standings.

However, their play-off spot would not be 100% confirmed – there’s the small metter of seventh placed Telford Town, who are three points behind the top five and currently hold games in hand on five of the six sides above them in the division. They are also in action on Saturday, going on their travels to face 10^th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads.

The only team with less games played in the top seven than Telford are the team with at least one game in hand on EVERY OTHER TEAM in the league – second-placed Eccleshall. With their play-off place confirmed and simply the title of ‘best of the rest’ left to fight for, they will host 13^th placed Cammell Laird 1907 on Saturday.

Fifth bottom Foley Meir were officially declared safe in the division in midweek, despite a defeat. They can celebrate the retention of their status in the NWCFL on Saturday with an away trip to The Giant Stadium, where they will meet 11^th placed Allscott Heath.