Week 17: Preview
Fri 14th November 2025 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
The second round of the Edward Case Cup will be a fixture of the weekend, and there's plenty of league action to bring to your attention, too! Let's see who is facing whom this weekend...
Friday:
Premier Division:
There are two Friday night, under the lights matches to bring to you this weekend from the NWCFL, both of which come from the league’s top table. Seventh meets eighth, and 33 points meets 33 points at the SMS Pro Soccer Park, as FC St Helens welcome South Liverpool. A win for either side would see them break into the top five, at least temporarily.
On top of that, Atherton LR, currently 11th in the table in their debut Premier Division campaign, are currently three points ahead of their visitors to Crilly Park, 14th placed Prestwich Heys. The M45 side will be hungry to close that gap to nil this Friday.
Saturday:
Edward Case Cup, 2nd Round North:
The Edward Case Cup is back, and it remains divided across the mid-section of the NWCFL for now, for the sake of convenience. There are four games coming at you on Saturday from the North section of this competition, with all of the current top three in the First Division North in action.
Leaders Maghull will host Bacup Borough; one point behind them are second-placed Ashton Town will welcome Darwen FC; and third-placed Nelson, a further two points behind, will be on the road to meet Daisy Hill.
Elsewhere, Maine Road will have AFC Blackpool over to Brantingham Road in a reverse fixture of a 2-0 win for the Mechanics in the league in early September.
Edward Case Cup, 2nd Round South:
Four more games to bring you from the South side of the same competition, with four of the top five all competing on Saturday. From inside the play-off places, Telford Town will be in action in their debut ECC campaign as they host fellow top-five outfit Stockport Georgians; and Barnton, who only overcame the division’s bottom side Wolves Sporting on penalties in the first round, will travel to Ashville, despite the game being drawn as a home match for the CW8 side.
The other two games will take place at the homes of teams who are at either side of the play-off places in the First Division South right now. Table toppers Runcorn Town will welcome last season’s competition runners-up Stafford Town; and sixth-placed Sandbach United will welcome mid-table Cheadle Heath Nomads.
Premier Division:
There are a whopping nine games to talk about from the Premier Division on Saturday to compliment the two from Friday, with eight of those taking place at 3pm.
Top of the table Ramsbottom United are one of those teams, and they can expand the gap between themselves and second-placed Padiham, who aren’t in action this weekend, if they can beat mid-table Pilkington. The day’s late kick off might actually see the Storks drop to third, if West Didsbury & Chorlton can pick up maximum points away at FC Isle of Man.
Completing the top five are Wythenshawe, who will welcome Euxton Villa this Saturday; and Burscough, who are also playing at home for the visit of Glossop North End. Sixth-placed Irlam will be hoping for either of those home teams to slip up as they host second-bottom Abbey Hey, with their sights firmly on the play-off places.
Third-bottom City of Liverpool can’t drop into the relegation zone this weekend regardless of results, but they can potentially climb as high as 20th if they can record their first win in five away at ninth-placed Chadderton. Right behind Chaddy are Longridge Town in 10th, who will be on the road this weekend to face an improving AFC Liverpool side that are unbeaten in their last six, and have won three of those.
Neither Charnock Richard nor Cheadle Town are having ideal seasons by their standards, but both will be hoping to improve their records of one win in their last five when they face each other on Saturday. Also coming from mid-table this weekend will be a battle between 13th placed, winless-in-six Stockport Town, and 17th placed, three-defeats-on-the-spin Barnoldswick Town, at Stockport Sports Village.
First Division North:
There are six teams from the First Division North playing in the league this weekend, including all of the current bottom three. The division’s propper-uppers, Ashton Athletic, will be at home to Garstang, the team directly above them, with neither side having won in their last five in all competitions.
Squires Gate, who complete the bottom three, will welcome 11th placed Steeton; and Colne, in 12th, will meet Thornton Cleveleys, in 14th, with just a point separating these two ahead of their meeting at the Haffners Eats Stadium.
First Division South:
Like the North, there are three league games to bring you this weekend from the First Division South, and all of them consist purely teams from the middle and bottom thirds of the table. Foley Meir and Shawbury United, both of whom were reprieved from relegation last season, will square off at the Trentham Foods Stadium.
Allscott Heath, in ninth place, are the highest-ranked team in league action this weekend from the South, and they will accommodate Market Drayton Town, from right outside the drop zone. Finally, Haughmond and Cammell Laird 1907, both of whom have lost four of their last five, will go toe to toe at Sundorne Sports Village.
Week 17: Preview
Fri 14th November 2025 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
The second round of the Edward Case Cup will be a fixture of the weekend, and there's plenty of league action to bring to your attention, too! Let's see who is facing whom this weekend...
Friday:
Premier Division:
There are two Friday night, under the lights matches to bring to you this weekend from the NWCFL, both of which come from the league’s top table. Seventh meets eighth, and 33 points meets 33 points at the SMS Pro Soccer Park, as FC St Helens welcome South Liverpool. A win for either side would see them break into the top five, at least temporarily.
On top of that, Atherton LR, currently 11th in the table in their debut Premier Division campaign, are currently three points ahead of their visitors to Crilly Park, 14th placed Prestwich Heys. The M45 side will be hungry to close that gap to nil this Friday.
Saturday:
Edward Case Cup, 2nd Round North:
The Edward Case Cup is back, and it remains divided across the mid-section of the NWCFL for now, for the sake of convenience. There are four games coming at you on Saturday from the North section of this competition, with all of the current top three in the First Division North in action.
Leaders Maghull will host Bacup Borough; one point behind them are second-placed Ashton Town will welcome Darwen FC; and third-placed Nelson, a further two points behind, will be on the road to meet Daisy Hill.
Elsewhere, Maine Road will have AFC Blackpool over to Brantingham Road in a reverse fixture of a 2-0 win for the Mechanics in the league in early September.
Edward Case Cup, 2nd Round South:
Four more games to bring you from the South side of the same competition, with four of the top five all competing on Saturday. From inside the play-off places, Telford Town will be in action in their debut ECC campaign as they host fellow top-five outfit Stockport Georgians; and Barnton, who only overcame the division’s bottom side Wolves Sporting on penalties in the first round, will travel to Ashville, despite the game being drawn as a home match for the CW8 side.
The other two games will take place at the homes of teams who are at either side of the play-off places in the First Division South right now. Table toppers Runcorn Town will welcome last season’s competition runners-up Stafford Town; and sixth-placed Sandbach United will welcome mid-table Cheadle Heath Nomads.
Premier Division:
There are a whopping nine games to talk about from the Premier Division on Saturday to compliment the two from Friday, with eight of those taking place at 3pm.
Top of the table Ramsbottom United are one of those teams, and they can expand the gap between themselves and second-placed Padiham, who aren’t in action this weekend, if they can beat mid-table Pilkington. The day’s late kick off might actually see the Storks drop to third, if West Didsbury & Chorlton can pick up maximum points away at FC Isle of Man.
Completing the top five are Wythenshawe, who will welcome Euxton Villa this Saturday; and Burscough, who are also playing at home for the visit of Glossop North End. Sixth-placed Irlam will be hoping for either of those home teams to slip up as they host second-bottom Abbey Hey, with their sights firmly on the play-off places.
Third-bottom City of Liverpool can’t drop into the relegation zone this weekend regardless of results, but they can potentially climb as high as 20th if they can record their first win in five away at ninth-placed Chadderton. Right behind Chaddy are Longridge Town in 10th, who will be on the road this weekend to face an improving AFC Liverpool side that are unbeaten in their last six, and have won three of those.
Neither Charnock Richard nor Cheadle Town are having ideal seasons by their standards, but both will be hoping to improve their records of one win in their last five when they face each other on Saturday. Also coming from mid-table this weekend will be a battle between 13th placed, winless-in-six Stockport Town, and 17th placed, three-defeats-on-the-spin Barnoldswick Town, at Stockport Sports Village.
First Division North:
There are six teams from the First Division North playing in the league this weekend, including all of the current bottom three. The division’s propper-uppers, Ashton Athletic, will be at home to Garstang, the team directly above them, with neither side having won in their last five in all competitions.
Squires Gate, who complete the bottom three, will welcome 11th placed Steeton; and Colne, in 12th, will meet Thornton Cleveleys, in 14th, with just a point separating these two ahead of their meeting at the Haffners Eats Stadium.
First Division South:
Like the North, there are three league games to bring you this weekend from the First Division South, and all of them consist purely teams from the middle and bottom thirds of the table. Foley Meir and Shawbury United, both of whom were reprieved from relegation last season, will square off at the Trentham Foods Stadium.
Allscott Heath, in ninth place, are the highest-ranked team in league action this weekend from the South, and they will accommodate Market Drayton Town, from right outside the drop zone. Finally, Haughmond and Cammell Laird 1907, both of whom have lost four of their last five, will go toe to toe at Sundorne Sports Village.
