Five Things We Learned - Week 6
Tue 6th September 2022 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
With another round of NWCFL football passing by, here are 5 things we learned from Week 6.
1. The bright lights of TV football means no pressure
Bury AFC have received plenty of coverage as a club ever since their formation, due to the terrible circumstances in which the original club of Bury FC was stripped away in 2018. That went double for their FA Cup 1st Qualifying round tie against North Shields. It would be AFC's third ever game in the competition after a replay victory over Hallam, and it was a game that was selected for nationwide coverage on the BBC Red button.
Despite the added pressure of playing in front of a TV audience, The Shakers held their nerve and fought to a fantastic 2-1 victory over their higher league opponents. Goals from Niall Cummins and Connor Comber either side of a David Robinson strike for Shields ensures that Andy Welsh's side will have a little extra spring in their step come their next game against Lower Breck, and certainly the next round of the Cup against their opponents, be that Stalybridge Celtic or Lancaster City.
2. A Burnley-based Brownhill is catching the eye
In the Championship, Burnley's Josh Brownhill is a consistent starter and a key influence on the field. In the NWCFL Premier Division, BB13 side Padiham have his brother Joel Brownhill, who does exactly the same thing for them. In fact, he goes one better - he's scored 7 goals so far this season for Michael Morrison's side, which is 3 more than Josh has managed!
Joel has found his way onto the scoresheet again for Padiham this weekend, contributing 1 of their 4 that they put past Ashton Athletic away from home. Padiham currently sit 11th in the Prem. Having flirted with relegation for quite a stretch last season, you've got to think that Bronwhill's goals will be vital in their push for solidarity this time around.
3. Pilkington have found their magic number
Top of the pile in D1N remains Pilkington. Steven Palfrey's men were the early pacesetters in the division, picking up some impressive victories in the opening weeks, including slotting 5 past now-bottom side Ashton Town, and 6 past Atherton LR. They most recently put Runcorn Town to the sword in a 4-2 away victory, and that win has seen them take maximum points from 7 games.
The mathematicians amongst you will have realised that this means the Pilks currently sit on 21 points - 5 clear of nearest challengers and newly-promoted Euxton Villa. What makes this points total even sweeter is that, throughout their NWCFL games thus far, they've scored 25 goals and conceded 4. Once again, well done at home if you worked out that their goal difference also comes to +21. The next best GD record in the league? That belongs to AFC Blackpool and Ilkley Town, who both boast a +7, which seems poultry by comparison.
4. Holker's home resistance can be broken
Often considered one of the hardest places to get to in the NWCFL, Barrow-based Holker Old Boys have had a fine start to the season. Whilst they were close enough to promotion to reach out and touch it by the end of last season, 8th place after 7 games is nothing to thumb one's nose at. With the ground itself being a difficult one to travel to for the majority of other NWCFL sides, the Handmark Engineering Stadium becomes a fortress for its team.
On top of this, of Holker's first 6 league games this season, there hadn't been one where either side failed to score at least 3 goals. The lowest scoring game until the weekend just gone was a 3-0 victory over Garstang at home for Holker. However, Nelson have proven to be the antithesis to their formula. The Admirals made the long journey, kept the Old Boys at bay and fought to a 1-0 away victory - anything can happen in the NWCFL.
5. No such thing as an instant fix for Rocester
There are 2 teams in the NWCFL system that are yet to pick up points at all in the league this season. Ashton Town are one, and they currently prop up the rest of D1N, and the other is Rocester. The East Staffordshire side have had a rotten start to life in the 2022/23 season, suffering 9 straight defeats in all competitions, and being stuck with a -26 goal difference in the league as of their most recent game against Stockport Town.
All this has come despite a shift in manager. On August 11th, the club appointed Keiron Gudgeon to the dugout, shortly after they exited the Edward Chase Cup to NWCFL newcomers Foley Meir. However, it has been nothing but choppy waters for Gudgeon to steer the ship through thus far, and it's a quite a job he has on his hands now to recover the season before it becomes unrecoverable.
Five Things We Learned - Week 6
Tue 6th September 2022 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
With another round of NWCFL football passing by, here are 5 things we learned from Week 6.
1. The bright lights of TV football means no pressure
Bury AFC have received plenty of coverage as a club ever since their formation, due to the terrible circumstances in which the original club of Bury FC was stripped away in 2018. That went double for their FA Cup 1st Qualifying round tie against North Shields. It would be AFC's third ever game in the competition after a replay victory over Hallam, and it was a game that was selected for nationwide coverage on the BBC Red button.
Despite the added pressure of playing in front of a TV audience, The Shakers held their nerve and fought to a fantastic 2-1 victory over their higher league opponents. Goals from Niall Cummins and Connor Comber either side of a David Robinson strike for Shields ensures that Andy Welsh's side will have a little extra spring in their step come their next game against Lower Breck, and certainly the next round of the Cup against their opponents, be that Stalybridge Celtic or Lancaster City.
2. A Burnley-based Brownhill is catching the eye
In the Championship, Burnley's Josh Brownhill is a consistent starter and a key influence on the field. In the NWCFL Premier Division, BB13 side Padiham have his brother Joel Brownhill, who does exactly the same thing for them. In fact, he goes one better - he's scored 7 goals so far this season for Michael Morrison's side, which is 3 more than Josh has managed!
Joel has found his way onto the scoresheet again for Padiham this weekend, contributing 1 of their 4 that they put past Ashton Athletic away from home. Padiham currently sit 11th in the Prem. Having flirted with relegation for quite a stretch last season, you've got to think that Bronwhill's goals will be vital in their push for solidarity this time around.
3. Pilkington have found their magic number
Top of the pile in D1N remains Pilkington. Steven Palfrey's men were the early pacesetters in the division, picking up some impressive victories in the opening weeks, including slotting 5 past now-bottom side Ashton Town, and 6 past Atherton LR. They most recently put Runcorn Town to the sword in a 4-2 away victory, and that win has seen them take maximum points from 7 games.
The mathematicians amongst you will have realised that this means the Pilks currently sit on 21 points - 5 clear of nearest challengers and newly-promoted Euxton Villa. What makes this points total even sweeter is that, throughout their NWCFL games thus far, they've scored 25 goals and conceded 4. Once again, well done at home if you worked out that their goal difference also comes to +21. The next best GD record in the league? That belongs to AFC Blackpool and Ilkley Town, who both boast a +7, which seems poultry by comparison.
4. Holker's home resistance can be broken
Often considered one of the hardest places to get to in the NWCFL, Barrow-based Holker Old Boys have had a fine start to the season. Whilst they were close enough to promotion to reach out and touch it by the end of last season, 8th place after 7 games is nothing to thumb one's nose at. With the ground itself being a difficult one to travel to for the majority of other NWCFL sides, the Handmark Engineering Stadium becomes a fortress for its team.
On top of this, of Holker's first 6 league games this season, there hadn't been one where either side failed to score at least 3 goals. The lowest scoring game until the weekend just gone was a 3-0 victory over Garstang at home for Holker. However, Nelson have proven to be the antithesis to their formula. The Admirals made the long journey, kept the Old Boys at bay and fought to a 1-0 away victory - anything can happen in the NWCFL.
5. No such thing as an instant fix for Rocester
There are 2 teams in the NWCFL system that are yet to pick up points at all in the league this season. Ashton Town are one, and they currently prop up the rest of D1N, and the other is Rocester. The East Staffordshire side have had a rotten start to life in the 2022/23 season, suffering 9 straight defeats in all competitions, and being stuck with a -26 goal difference in the league as of their most recent game against Stockport Town.
All this has come despite a shift in manager. On August 11th, the club appointed Keiron Gudgeon to the dugout, shortly after they exited the Edward Chase Cup to NWCFL newcomers Foley Meir. However, it has been nothing but choppy waters for Gudgeon to steer the ship through thus far, and it's a quite a job he has on his hands now to recover the season before it becomes unrecoverable.
