With the Macron Cup dominating the headlines in the NWCFL this past weekend, it only made sense to reach out to some of the competition's biggest winners from the weekend for their post-match thoughts.
One of those big winners were FC Isle of Man, who have progressed to the second round in their first ever season competing in the Macron Cup. Following their 3-2 home win against Maghull, gaffer Lee Dixon said: "If ever there was a game of two halves, this was it.
"Maghull were magnificent in the first 45 minutes and showed exactly why they are top of their league. In the second half, after a tough conversation at half-time, our fast start really shook them and knocked the wind out of their sails.
"I thought my players' response, and their quality and energy in the second half showed why we've been so competitive this season against most of the big teams in our league. All in all it was a great game of football for everyone involved, played with brilliant spirit in tough conditions.
"I was really proud of the fight back from the players to secure a great victory."
Like the Ravens, Barnoldswick Town are another Premier Division side who put adversaries from the First Division North to the sword on Saturday. They beat Darwen FC 3-0 at home, following which, joint-manager Gerry Harrison said: "Having turned up at the ground not knowing what to expect, it was a pleasant surprise to see the pitch in good condition - credit has to go to all concerned in preparing the pitch.
"Our instructions to the team, due to the horrendous conditions, was that there will be mistakes made by both teams and that we should try to limit our mistakes made in crucial areas.
"The game started and both teams looked up for it and it was pretty even. After about 10 minutes, Darwen went down to 10 men and a penalty was conceded, which we scored from. On reflection, the turning point was the sending off, as it allowed us to be more patient with the ball.
"We scored another in the first half and went into the break 2-0 up. In the second half we created a lot of chances, but credit has to go to Darwen, who showed themselves to be a very good side. They missed a penalty, forcing made our keeper make a great save at 2-0.
"A third goal was added to make it 3-0, which enabled us to see the game out. Overall, I would say that we made the least mistakes, and credit must go to both teams for their heart in the horrendous conditions."
Another side that put their names in the hat for the next round of the Macron Cup were First Division North outfit Eccleshall. They won 4-1 away from home to see off Wednesfield Community. After the whistle, manager Danny Glover called the win: "A great performance.
"Wednesfield are a side who got the better of us in the league last month, so we were determined to put things right from the start.
"I gave opportunities to a few lads who have been patiently waiting for their chance, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. They all put in a fantastic shift, and we ran out comfortable winners in the end, showing real character to battle through a spell with 10 men and even going down to nine at one point.
"I'm very proud of the performance, the attitude and the togetherness shown by the group.
"A big thank you must go to Wednesfield and their staff for getting the game on in some tricky weather conditions."
There was league action to speak of away from the Macron Cup on Saturday. In the Premier Division, Droylsden retook top spot in the standings with a 3-1 home victory over Glossop North End, maintaining their unbeaten home record in the league this season as a consequence.
After the win, manager Dave Pace kept it short and sweet with his thoughts: "I was very pleased with the character we showed. Especially after down to ten men with forty minutes to go, it was a great performance from everyone involved."
In the First Division North, maximum points were also secured for mid-table Colne, who completed a 3-1 turnaround to see off Ashton Town. Gaffer Andy Mapperson said after full time that: "It was nice to finally be back at home after seven consecutive away games.
"The weather was the worst I've seen on a football pitch for as long as I can remember and proved problematic for both sides. But we stuck to the game plan and played some great football at times, and made sure the weather never became an excuse.
"A massive shoutout must go to groundsman Richard and our other groundstaff for doing a great job to ensure the game was on, and to ensure that it went the full 90 minutes."
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