Week 39: Review

Tue 21st April 2026 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper

And so, the curtain falls on another league season in the NWCFL. Despite all champions having already been crowned, there was still plenty for teams to fight for on the final day. Let's run through the best and worst of what the weekend had to offer.

Saturday:

Premier Division:

Champions Wythenshawe very much enjoyed their lap of honour on the final day of the Premier Division season, with Aaron Dwyer scoring a hat-trick in the Ammies’ 7-1 victory at home against Longridge Town.

Play-off bound Padiham set themselves up for the competition in an emphatic way, coming out on top of a 4-2 goal-fest against FC Isle of Man, aided by a Fenton Davies brace.

The final play-off spot was also decided on Saturday, as Chadderton, who began the day in fifth, got the job done. Lewis-Simon Byrne scored both goals as Chaddy saw off Stockport Town 2-0 at home to seal their spot in the top five.

Chaddy’s result was enough to stop Irlam qualifying for the play-offs regardless of how they performed against Charnock Richard at Silver Street. In the end, the mid-table visitors proved a tough nut to crack, holding Irlam to a 2-2 draw on the final day thanks to a 94^th minute Lewis Haydock equaliser.

Prestwich Heys ended a strong season in style on Saturday, seeing off lower-mid-table Cheadle Town away from home to the tune of a 3-0 victory – their 12^th in their last 13. Subject to a decision on their unplaced game against FC Isle of Man, they might still be able to sneak into sixth place in the table.

FC St Helens also saw out a top half of the table campaign with a dominant win this past weekend. They hosted Abbey Hey at the SMS Pro Soccer Park, and they put the fourth-bottom side to the sword, winning 3-0.

AFC Liverpool have proven very tricky to beat during the run-in, having won 11 of their last 14 ahead of the final day. They made it 12 from 15 with an emphatic 4-1 victory over relegation-threatened Pilkington to put themselves in the best possible standing ahead of their Macron Cup Final.

Unfortunately for them, their opponents in the final, West Didsbury & Chorlton, also earned maximum points on the final day to set themselves up nicely for the cup final. They dismissed Euxton Villa 2-1 away from home on Saturday, ultimately finishing ninth in the table.

Pilkington’s defeat meant that the door was still ajar for second-bottom Litherland REMYCA to pull off the great escape. Despite their very best efforts in the latter stages of the season, it just wasn’t to be, as REMY were undone 2-1 on home soil by mid-table Burscough to confirm their relegation, subject to a potential reprieve.

Other scores:

Atherton LR 0-0 Ramsbottom United

City of Liverpool 0-3 Barnoldswick Town

South Liverpool 0-2 Glossop North End

First Division North:

It was a day of celebration at The Daisy Arena, Little Wembley, for both champions Nelson and visiting MSB Woolton. Regardless of the result, Nelson would lift the trophy after the game, and MSB Woolton would finish their maiden NWCFL campaign in the play-offs. The champions won 4-0 on the day.

Maghull needed a mere point to confirm their own spot in the play-offs on the final day, but decided they wanted all three against mid-table Daisy Hill away from home. Five different players got on the scoresheet for the fourth placed side as they came out on top in a 5-2 goal-fest.

Also holding their play-off destiny in their own hands going into Saturday were Squires Gate in fifth. Win, and their top five spot was secure, regardless of results elsewhere. However, they threatened to fall at the final hurdle, being held to a 1-1 draw by play-off outsiders Bacup Borough, whose own hopes of making the top five were dashed by virtue of not beating Gate by at least three goals.

That draw meant Gate were reliant on second placed Droylsden to get something out of their visitors; sixth placed Darwen FC. The Salmoners led and were behind at different points during the battle, but they eventually were forced to settle for a point against the Bloods in a 2-2 draw, meaning that Gate remained fifth, and Darwen missed out on the play-offs.

Already relegated Garstang had the prospect of a potential reprieve to fight for on the final day, but they were undone on the road by a Thornton Cleveleys side in no mood to roll over. Luke Harris scored twice as they won 4-0 to see out their season in seventh place.

The only side keeping ‘Stang off the bottom if the table, Maine Road, were also in action on the final day, but were going to receive the division’s wooden spoon regardless of the outcome. Ashton Town proved too much on Saturday, with Christopher Lomax bagging two in a 3-1 win for the hosts that saw the climb to eighth in the table.

Holker Old Boys looked like they were going to victim to an on-paper upset on the final day as they visited 13^th placed Steeton. The Chevrons raced into a 2-0 lead and held it until half time, but a 20-minute period in the second half saw Holker completely turn the game on its head, eventually winning 4-2.

Lightfoot Green Lane was almost certainly the host location for the NWCFL’s game of the day on Saturday. Fulwood Amateurs and Colne, both with nothing really to fight for, decided to go blow for blow with one another in an eventual 4-4 draw that saw the visitors take the lead from being behind in the final 10 minutes, only for the hosts to equalise in the 90^th minute through Spencer Lucas.

First Division South:

Ashville had their very feint play-off hopes officially curtailed by Sandbach United on Saturday. United won 2-0 to end their season on a high and leapfrog their opponents in the table and into sixth place.

Eccleshall, secure in second place, also gave their fans something to celebrate on the final day. They welcomed ninth placed Cheadle Heath Nomads to the Stoke Signage Stadium, and saw them off in a 4-1 win, complimented by a Daniel Glover brace.

Stockport Georgians were away from home on Saturday against 10^th placed Barnton, with the knowledge that a win would confirm a third placed finish. However, they were held off by their resistant mid-table hosts in a 0-0 draw.

With that result in mind, a win for New Mills, also comfortable in the top five, would’ve been enough to see them climb to third in the division and give themselves a better seeding in the play-offs. They accomplished their mission in style, fending off eighth placed Telford Town at home, with Saul Henderson bagging two in a 5-1 win.