Five Things We Learned 2023/24 - Gameweek 12
Wed 18th October 2023 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
1. A week of fresh managerial faces
It's been 7 days since the last 'Five Things' list, and there's been enough new managerial appointments made by NWCFL teams for there to be one announced every other day during that time. And, poetically, there was also one appointment made for every league within the pyramid.
Let's start with the Prem, where bottom club Skelmersdale United dropped the bombshell that former Premier League defender Pascal Chimbonda has been announced as the new face of the dugout. It is the once-capped France international's first venture into management. Meanwhile. Darrell Slater-Smith has taken the available post at First Division North side Garstang, and the Baguley brothers have returned to the NWCFL to take the helm at First Division South strugglers New Mills.
2. The Macron Cup is back!
Last week, it was the Edward Case, but this week, the Macron Cup took it's bow for the 2023/24 season. In case this is your first rodeo, the Edward Case Cup is open to teams from the First Divisions North and South, but the Macron is open to all NWCFL sides. Here's your rundown: both Route One Rovers and Ashville came away with victories on Monday, with a further 17 matches last night.
Of those, your choice cuts include a few matching scorelines, such as Alsager Town 4-3 Eccleshall, Colne 3-4 Barlick Town and Market Drayton 3-4 Stockport Georgians; as well as a 4-4 battle between Abbey Hulton and Stafford Town which the away side sealed on penalties; and both Atherton LR and Longridge Town bagging 5 goals in their wins. There's still more to come tomorrow, as well, so keep an eye out.
3. Twists at the top of the Prem
It's contentious to say that the NWCFL Premier Division games that took place this weekend will go on to define the season, given that we aren't even 20 games into a 46-game season. What's undisputed, however, is that the weekend just gone was a fantastic one from a Wythenshawe perspective.
The Ammies kept up their remarkable push for a second consecutive promotion with a 5-0 away victory against Skelmersdale United, and both teams either side of them at the start of the day, 1st placed Bury and 3rd placed Kendal Town, slumped to defeats. Bury were undone by a late flurry from Chadderton in a 3-2 defeat, and Kendal were overcome by the same scoreline when hosting Barnoldswick Town. These results are enough to see Wythenshawe take top spot for now.
4. Fortresses Pilkington and Irlam
For as sweet as ascending to the top of the table will be this week for Wythenshawe, there is one area of their game in which they are undercut by teams that are currently 9th and 12th in the league, respectively. Both Pilkington and Irlam are yet to lose a league game on home soil this season.
Irlam's record runs across 5 games played at their RG3 Digital Stadium, whilst Pilks' run stretches back over 9 home league games this season - come to the Ruskin Sports Village if you dare! This unbeaten at home feat has been replicated by both FC St Helens and Stockport Town in the lower divisions, but with Pilkington and Irlam both being mid-table sides in the Prem, this achievement is all the more unexpected on paper, and impressive.
5. Denied a Route to goal
I've been over the fact that newly promoted Route One Rovers are absolutely the team to watch if you're hungry for goals in the NWCFL First Division North this season, but apparently I didn't say that loud enough for Dave Jones and his Atherton LR side to hear clearly.
Atherton played host to Route One this past weekend, and, in the process of pitching a shutout in a 3-0 victory, they became the first side to keep a clean sheet against their visitors in the league this season. The only other team to manage that feat in any competition this season was Ashton Town, who beat Route One 2-0 in the Edward Case Cup last week. From one 'Rovers' to another, that's how you maintain your play-off position.
Five Things We Learned 2023/24 - Gameweek 12
Wed 18th October 2023 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
1. A week of fresh managerial faces
It's been 7 days since the last 'Five Things' list, and there's been enough new managerial appointments made by NWCFL teams for there to be one announced every other day during that time. And, poetically, there was also one appointment made for every league within the pyramid.
Let's start with the Prem, where bottom club Skelmersdale United dropped the bombshell that former Premier League defender Pascal Chimbonda has been announced as the new face of the dugout. It is the once-capped France international's first venture into management. Meanwhile. Darrell Slater-Smith has taken the available post at First Division North side Garstang, and the Baguley brothers have returned to the NWCFL to take the helm at First Division South strugglers New Mills.
2. The Macron Cup is back!
Last week, it was the Edward Case, but this week, the Macron Cup took it's bow for the 2023/24 season. In case this is your first rodeo, the Edward Case Cup is open to teams from the First Divisions North and South, but the Macron is open to all NWCFL sides. Here's your rundown: both Route One Rovers and Ashville came away with victories on Monday, with a further 17 matches last night.
Of those, your choice cuts include a few matching scorelines, such as Alsager Town 4-3 Eccleshall, Colne 3-4 Barlick Town and Market Drayton 3-4 Stockport Georgians; as well as a 4-4 battle between Abbey Hulton and Stafford Town which the away side sealed on penalties; and both Atherton LR and Longridge Town bagging 5 goals in their wins. There's still more to come tomorrow, as well, so keep an eye out.
3. Twists at the top of the Prem
It's contentious to say that the NWCFL Premier Division games that took place this weekend will go on to define the season, given that we aren't even 20 games into a 46-game season. What's undisputed, however, is that the weekend just gone was a fantastic one from a Wythenshawe perspective.
The Ammies kept up their remarkable push for a second consecutive promotion with a 5-0 away victory against Skelmersdale United, and both teams either side of them at the start of the day, 1st placed Bury and 3rd placed Kendal Town, slumped to defeats. Bury were undone by a late flurry from Chadderton in a 3-2 defeat, and Kendal were overcome by the same scoreline when hosting Barnoldswick Town. These results are enough to see Wythenshawe take top spot for now.
4. Fortresses Pilkington and Irlam
For as sweet as ascending to the top of the table will be this week for Wythenshawe, there is one area of their game in which they are undercut by teams that are currently 9th and 12th in the league, respectively. Both Pilkington and Irlam are yet to lose a league game on home soil this season.
Irlam's record runs across 5 games played at their RG3 Digital Stadium, whilst Pilks' run stretches back over 9 home league games this season - come to the Ruskin Sports Village if you dare! This unbeaten at home feat has been replicated by both FC St Helens and Stockport Town in the lower divisions, but with Pilkington and Irlam both being mid-table sides in the Prem, this achievement is all the more unexpected on paper, and impressive.
5. Denied a Route to goal
I've been over the fact that newly promoted Route One Rovers are absolutely the team to watch if you're hungry for goals in the NWCFL First Division North this season, but apparently I didn't say that loud enough for Dave Jones and his Atherton LR side to hear clearly.
Atherton played host to Route One this past weekend, and, in the process of pitching a shutout in a 3-0 victory, they became the first side to keep a clean sheet against their visitors in the league this season. The only other team to manage that feat in any competition this season was Ashton Town, who beat Route One 2-0 in the Edward Case Cup last week. From one 'Rovers' to another, that's how you maintain your play-off position.
