Five Things We Learned 2026/27: Week 14
Fri 6th November 2026 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
Another week, another series of matches from the NWCFL. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last week has had to offer.
1. And then there were six
Saturday saw the Isuzu FA Vase return to our pitches for the second round proper, as 13 NWCFL sides looked to take one step closer to Wembley. Just over half of them were unfortunately beaten in their quest.
The winners included Bilston Town, Nelson and Thornton Cleveleys, who all scored four in 90 minute victories against Heanor Town, Parkgate and Billingham Town, respectively. Elsewhere, Woolton won 2-0 at home to Durham United, whilst Droylsden and Holker Old Boys both needed a penalty shootout to overcome Cheadle Town and Winsford United, respectively.
2. Local Cup Competitions take the spotlight
Since the weekend, there have also been many more cup fixtures to speak of, as a handful of NWCFL sides have embarked on missions to win their local crowns, with league outfits being drawn against one another.
Premier Division Irlam saw off First Division North promotion hopefuls Flixton in a 3-1 away win to advance in the Manchester Premier Cup Preliminary Round on Monday; and fellow Prem outfit Glossop North End must’ve drank from that same glass as their league contemporaries during their 4-0 away win against NCEL Dronfield Town in the Derbyshire Senior Cup on Tuesday.
3. Goals, goals and more goals in the league
With the Vase leading to about half of the NWCFL not featuring in league games this weekend, the remaining sides who were fighting for points in the table more than made up for it with the amount of goals that were scored. From the 22 league games played, just shy of a third of them featured at least five goals.
Barnoldswick Town were the Premier Division’s biggest winners, hitting FC Isle of Man for seven without reply. Flixton scored the most in the First Division North, winning 6-2 against Ashton Athletic in the weekend’s highest-scoring affair. In the First Division South, both Eccleshall and New Mills scored five against Shawbury United and Wednesfield Community respectively, although the Millers conceded twice, while Eccleshall kept a clean sheet.
4. UPPERMILL WIN!
It has been a LONG wait for the First Division North’s bottom side, but they have finally taken three points away from a league game in their debut NWCFL season. It took 16 tries, but they did it, and on home soil no less.
Saturday saw Mark Howard’s team welcome fellow divisional debutants Halewood Apollo to Seel Park, and first half goals by Zachary Hobin and Billy Midgley would be enough to help the hosts see out a 2-1 and move to within a point of second-bottom AFC Blackpool in the table. Hopefully this is the start of a repeating pattern.
5. Widnes to move home
Only one game from the NWCFL was postponed this weekend, which is quite the improvement from last weekend’s total of 11. Even better, this weekend’s outlier was not due to Mother Nature - instead, it was due to some home movements!
Widnes Town, still bottom of the First Division South, have played all of their home games from the season to this point at the Marine Travel Arena, which they were ground-sharing with NPL side Marine. However, as was announced by chairman Ryan Bamford on social media, the club are moving to a ground closer to their home town, where they will see out the season. Hopefully it’s one that will allow them to kick on and battle for the survival as positively as possible.
Five Things We Learned 2026/27: Week 14
Fri 6th November 2026 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
Another week, another series of matches from the NWCFL. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last week has had to offer.
1. And then there were six
Saturday saw the Isuzu FA Vase return to our pitches for the second round proper, as 13 NWCFL sides looked to take one step closer to Wembley. Just over half of them were unfortunately beaten in their quest.
The winners included Bilston Town, Nelson and Thornton Cleveleys, who all scored four in 90 minute victories against Heanor Town, Parkgate and Billingham Town, respectively. Elsewhere, Woolton won 2-0 at home to Durham United, whilst Droylsden and Holker Old Boys both needed a penalty shootout to overcome Cheadle Town and Winsford United, respectively.
2. Local Cup Competitions take the spotlight
Since the weekend, there have also been many more cup fixtures to speak of, as a handful of NWCFL sides have embarked on missions to win their local crowns, with league outfits being drawn against one another.
Premier Division Irlam saw off First Division North promotion hopefuls Flixton in a 3-1 away win to advance in the Manchester Premier Cup Preliminary Round on Monday; and fellow Prem outfit Glossop North End must’ve drank from that same glass as their league contemporaries during their 4-0 away win against NCEL Dronfield Town in the Derbyshire Senior Cup on Tuesday.
3. Goals, goals and more goals in the league
With the Vase leading to about half of the NWCFL not featuring in league games this weekend, the remaining sides who were fighting for points in the table more than made up for it with the amount of goals that were scored. From the 22 league games played, just shy of a third of them featured at least five goals.
Barnoldswick Town were the Premier Division’s biggest winners, hitting FC Isle of Man for seven without reply. Flixton scored the most in the First Division North, winning 6-2 against Ashton Athletic in the weekend’s highest-scoring affair. In the First Division South, both Eccleshall and New Mills scored five against Shawbury United and Wednesfield Community respectively, although the Millers conceded twice, while Eccleshall kept a clean sheet.
4. UPPERMILL WIN!
It has been a LONG wait for the First Division North’s bottom side, but they have finally taken three points away from a league game in their debut NWCFL season. It took 16 tries, but they did it, and on home soil no less.
Saturday saw Mark Howard’s team welcome fellow divisional debutants Halewood Apollo to Seel Park, and first half goals by Zachary Hobin and Billy Midgley would be enough to help the hosts see out a 2-1 and move to within a point of second-bottom AFC Blackpool in the table. Hopefully this is the start of a repeating pattern.
5. Widnes to move home
Only one game from the NWCFL was postponed this weekend, which is quite the improvement from last weekend’s total of 11. Even better, this weekend’s outlier was not due to Mother Nature - instead, it was due to some home movements!
Widnes Town, still bottom of the First Division South, have played all of their home games from the season to this point at the Marine Travel Arena, which they were ground-sharing with NPL side Marine. However, as was announced by chairman Ryan Bamford on social media, the club are moving to a ground closer to their home town, where they will see out the season. Hopefully it’s one that will allow them to kick on and battle for the survival as positively as possible.
