Premier Division Preview - Saturday 28th November 2015
Fri 27th November 2015 | General | By Mark Ashmore
Last Saturday saw four of our six Premier Division games go ahead, with the weather taking its toll on just the two, games at AFC Darwen and Barnoldswick Town being the casualties.
This week we'll again hopefully have four games go ahead, as the rest of the Premier Division compete in the next round of The MEN United Cup.
We'll start with the latter of those two previously mentioned teams, Barnoldswick Town. They should have been at home to Congleton Town last Saturday but as mentioned above the game was called off due to the weather, meaning that Barlick have yet to play a league game in the month of November with their last four games called off.
Before that, they've had a poor run of results, winning just the one game against Padiham at the start of October by 2-1. Since then they've lost games against 1874 Northwich, AFC Darwen and Ashton Athletic as well as draws against AFC Liverpool and Cammell Laird 1907.
A big win in the West Riding County Cup against Evo-Stik First Division side Harrogate Railway Athletic has been their only action in November, and they won that game 5-0 with four of the goals coming in the second half after they opened the scoring after nine minutes.
This weekend they face Runcorn Linnets, who of course were in action on Tuesday night in the Vase. They faced the long trip to Marske United and unfortunately they couldn't replicate their recent league form losing the game 6-2. Kurt Sherlock and Jason Carey grabbed the goals for Linnets in a game which was always going to be a struggle from the start.
Coming into this weekend's game, Vase result aside, Linnets have been in decent form. In their last league game they won 7-1 against Bootle who themselves are having a very good season. Before that they had a win against Winsford in the Vase and a win against Congleton, the team Linnets should have played in midweek had they not still been in the Vase.
Town will travel to West Didsbury & Chorlton this weekend, having not played for the last two weeks. There last game was on the 14th and what an impressive game that was! The Bears new management duo of Andy Alston and Griff Jones defeated an inform Runcorn Town in their first game in charge 4-1.
Goals from Kenny, Marshall, Matthews and Fletcher saw an impressive win for the team who currently lie in 16th. Before that was a 2-0 loss at home to Ashton Athletic and a 1-1 draw against Abbey Hey.
The form table doesn't make kind reading for Bears fans, as they currently sit 21st out of 22 after picking up just four points in their last six games. If we look further up the form table we find Saturday’s opponents West Didsbury & Chorlton in 16th . They come into this game having won their last two games, keeping clean sheets in both. Last Saturday they beat Squires Gate 3-0, and the week before beat Cammell Laird 1907 1-0.
West will have to deal with the threat of Scott McGowan and Declan Fletcher who have eleven goals between them up top for Congleton so far this season, while hoping Ash Woods can add to his two goals he got in the 3-0 win against Squires Gate on Saturday and Matty Kay can again pull the strings from midfield.
Another new manager looking to find his feet in a new job this weekend is Scott Dundas at Alsager Town.
Dundas is well known to the league, being a former league winner with Norton United in 2014, and will be looking for his first league win as they host Abbey Hey this weekend.
Alsager will be full of confidence coming into this game having beaten AFC Mansfield in a Vase replay. Michael Machin, Jonathan Beaumont and Jonathan Jones all grabbing the goals before half time to put the Bullets in a comfortable position.
This will only be Alsager's second league game this month, after postponements and Cup games have dominated November, with the only other league game ending in a 4-1 defeat at home to AFC Darwen.
Abbey Hey come into this game sat in 12th but have plenty of games in hand to be able to move up the table. In Johnathon Hardy they have a source of goals - ten in league and cup - and with Ashford Blake in fine form Abbey Hey will be a danger going forward.
AFC Liverpool versus Winsford United is the fourth and final game in the Premier Division this week. Nine points and eight places separate the two teams going into the weekend with both teams having already met earlier in the season.
That game was new Winsford manager Lee Duckworth's first game in charge and it finished 2-1 to Winsford.
Since then, Winsford have drawn their following two games, first a 2-2 draw away to Ashton Athletic, the goals coming from James Rothwell and manager Lee Duckworth, then a 1-1 draw at home to Silsden, Sam Cook with the goal in the game after six minutes.
Winsford don't travel well on the road and have only won one of their nine away games so far, but will be looking to Kyle Riley to lead from the front. The striker leads their goal scoring charts so far this season with six league goals.
The Blues will have to be on their toes at the back to keep out Liverpool striker Ryan Cox, who unsurprisingly tops the scoring charts with fifteen goals in the league.
He's been on target in three of AFC's four previous games with all the goals coming in the first half of each game. He opened the scoring in their 2-2 draw with Cammell Laird 1907 in the last game they played, and Liam Loughlin made it two on 38 minutes before 1907 mounted a second half comeback with Jamie Henders’ penalty on 75 minutes equalling the score.
Liverpool sit joint fifth with only a few points separating them from the two Runcorn sides, and have won five of their nine games at home so far, although the last one came back on the 17th of October against Runcorn Linnets.
Whether you're going to watch a league game or your team competing in the next round of the MEN United Cup, make sure to enjoy and wrap up warm!
Premier Division Preview - Saturday 28th November 2015
Fri 27th November 2015 | General
By Mark Ashmore
Last Saturday saw four of our six Premier Division games go ahead, with the weather taking its toll on just the two, games at AFC Darwen and Barnoldswick Town being the casualties.
This week we'll again hopefully have four games go ahead, as the rest of the Premier Division compete in the next round of The MEN United Cup.
We'll start with the latter of those two previously mentioned teams, Barnoldswick Town. They should have been at home to Congleton Town last Saturday but as mentioned above the game was called off due to the weather, meaning that Barlick have yet to play a league game in the month of November with their last four games called off.
Before that, they've had a poor run of results, winning just the one game against Padiham at the start of October by 2-1. Since then they've lost games against 1874 Northwich, AFC Darwen and Ashton Athletic as well as draws against AFC Liverpool and Cammell Laird 1907.
A big win in the West Riding County Cup against Evo-Stik First Division side Harrogate Railway Athletic has been their only action in November, and they won that game 5-0 with four of the goals coming in the second half after they opened the scoring after nine minutes.
This weekend they face Runcorn Linnets, who of course were in action on Tuesday night in the Vase. They faced the long trip to Marske United and unfortunately they couldn't replicate their recent league form losing the game 6-2. Kurt Sherlock and Jason Carey grabbed the goals for Linnets in a game which was always going to be a struggle from the start.
Coming into this weekend's game, Vase result aside, Linnets have been in decent form. In their last league game they won 7-1 against Bootle who themselves are having a very good season. Before that they had a win against Winsford in the Vase and a win against Congleton, the team Linnets should have played in midweek had they not still been in the Vase.
Town will travel to West Didsbury & Chorlton this weekend, having not played for the last two weeks. There last game was on the 14th and what an impressive game that was! The Bears new management duo of Andy Alston and Griff Jones defeated an inform Runcorn Town in their first game in charge 4-1.
Goals from Kenny, Marshall, Matthews and Fletcher saw an impressive win for the team who currently lie in 16th. Before that was a 2-0 loss at home to Ashton Athletic and a 1-1 draw against Abbey Hey.
The form table doesn't make kind reading for Bears fans, as they currently sit 21st out of 22 after picking up just four points in their last six games. If we look further up the form table we find Saturday’s opponents West Didsbury & Chorlton in 16th . They come into this game having won their last two games, keeping clean sheets in both. Last Saturday they beat Squires Gate 3-0, and the week before beat Cammell Laird 1907 1-0.
West will have to deal with the threat of Scott McGowan and Declan Fletcher who have eleven goals between them up top for Congleton so far this season, while hoping Ash Woods can add to his two goals he got in the 3-0 win against Squires Gate on Saturday and Matty Kay can again pull the strings from midfield.
Another new manager looking to find his feet in a new job this weekend is Scott Dundas at Alsager Town.
Dundas is well known to the league, being a former league winner with Norton United in 2014, and will be looking for his first league win as they host Abbey Hey this weekend.
Alsager will be full of confidence coming into this game having beaten AFC Mansfield in a Vase replay. Michael Machin, Jonathan Beaumont and Jonathan Jones all grabbing the goals before half time to put the Bullets in a comfortable position.
This will only be Alsager's second league game this month, after postponements and Cup games have dominated November, with the only other league game ending in a 4-1 defeat at home to AFC Darwen.
Abbey Hey come into this game sat in 12th but have plenty of games in hand to be able to move up the table. In Johnathon Hardy they have a source of goals - ten in league and cup - and with Ashford Blake in fine form Abbey Hey will be a danger going forward.
AFC Liverpool versus Winsford United is the fourth and final game in the Premier Division this week. Nine points and eight places separate the two teams going into the weekend with both teams having already met earlier in the season.
That game was new Winsford manager Lee Duckworth's first game in charge and it finished 2-1 to Winsford.
Since then, Winsford have drawn their following two games, first a 2-2 draw away to Ashton Athletic, the goals coming from James Rothwell and manager Lee Duckworth, then a 1-1 draw at home to Silsden, Sam Cook with the goal in the game after six minutes.
Winsford don't travel well on the road and have only won one of their nine away games so far, but will be looking to Kyle Riley to lead from the front. The striker leads their goal scoring charts so far this season with six league goals.
The Blues will have to be on their toes at the back to keep out Liverpool striker Ryan Cox, who unsurprisingly tops the scoring charts with fifteen goals in the league.
He's been on target in three of AFC's four previous games with all the goals coming in the first half of each game. He opened the scoring in their 2-2 draw with Cammell Laird 1907 in the last game they played, and Liam Loughlin made it two on 38 minutes before 1907 mounted a second half comeback with Jamie Henders’ penalty on 75 minutes equalling the score.
Liverpool sit joint fifth with only a few points separating them from the two Runcorn sides, and have won five of their nine games at home so far, although the last one came back on the 17th of October against Runcorn Linnets.
Whether you're going to watch a league game or your team competing in the next round of the MEN United Cup, make sure to enjoy and wrap up warm!
