Division One Preview - Saturday 6th February 2016
Fri 5th February 2016 | General | By Stewart Taylor
Your reviewer has long had an admiration of the work of the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. One of his most famous quotes comes from the poem “The Rainy Day” -
Thy fate is the common fate of all;
Into each life some rain must fall.
Recent events rather suggest that Longfellow was somewhat understating the case when he makes reference to “some rain” but, there we are, all things in context perhaps and a reading of the full poem to get a better understanding of what Longfellow was really on about is recommended.
Whilst reflecting, albeit briefly, on American culture we could also make reference to a song written in 1946 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer which has the title “Come Rain or Come Shine”.
I could go on at great length about assorted modern jazz versions of this classic piece, but probably better to focus on the sentiment behind the title of the song and to fervently hope that, Come Rain or Come Shine, we get a full set of First Division fixtures completed on Saturday.
We start this week with a couple of fixtures which, short of some weather event of practically unheard of proportion, are pretty much assured to go ahead.
Holker Old Boys make the trip down to Woodley to face Stockport Town. The Lions have been enjoying their first season in the NWCFL and have benefited from the synthetic surface at Stockport Sports Village with less fixture disruption than most.
Nevertheless, they have not played an away League match since the middle of October so a run of away matches later in the season will be inevitable. They come into this match on a significant high, having played some fine football in securing a 6-0 win over Eccleshall in the only midweek fixture in the First Division.
Holker are handily placed in the League table occupying 7th spot and will be keen to push on. Holker have lost only once in their last six matches and that in a Lancashire Challenge Trophy match to an in-form Colne side from the Premier Division. That this fine run takes us back to the last day of October is a cause for concern, but the games in hand over play off rivals may help in due course. The match on Saturday afternoon between two rivals for play off positions should be fascinating.
Those on Merseyside looking for a match which is pretty much assured to be on need look no further than the Select Security Stadium, where Widnes entertain Chadderton.
Widnes Manager Steve Hill has recently strengthened his squad with the signing of striker Tunde Owolabi from New Mills, and defender Corey Mason who has featured at 1874 Northwich and will be pleased to get back to competitive action following consecutive postponements.
A home victory at the beginning of January over Bacup Borough has been the stand out result of recent times, and is something to try to build on in an effort to move up the League table.
Chadderton would have been disappointed to see their midweek match fall victim to the dreadful weather. Defeats on consecutive Saturdays away from their Andrew Street home will not have helped the confidence of a side which now sits 15th in the League table, and will need a tremendous improvement in results to have any chance of challenging for a play off place come the end of the season.
Bacup Borough travel to St Helens Town on Saturday with a 4-1 win away at Irlam last Saturday fresh in their minds.
Manager Brent Peters was understandably pleased with this result against a good Irlam side but the sending off of Irlam defender Jacques Kpohgomou late in the first half was pivotal. Consecutive wins scoring four goals in each match has set up Bacup well for their push into the play off places as they currently lie in 9th place.
Hosts St Helens Town have had a really good January, reflected in the award of First Division Club of the Month, with three away wins which have boosted their fortunes following a disappointing sequence of defeats and postponements in the run up to Christmas. The contribution of Andy Gillespie has been significant in helping to lift the side to well within sight of a play off position.
With both of these former Premier Division sides now setting out their respective stalls for a tilt at an immediate return, this should be a fascinating duel.
In the south of our region, newcomers Whitchurch Alport host Eccleshall at Yockings Park. A position at the bottom of the League table suggests that Whitchurch have not found life easy in their first season in the NWCFL. Just one win in the League for the Shropshire outfit, and struggling to find the back of the net in recent times, suggests that a difficult match could be in store on Saturday afternoon.
Eccleshall currently lie only one place above their hosts, but it has been something of a different story. Following a somewhat indifferent start to the season, Eccleshall were putting a decent run together with 4 wins on the bounce from the end of November and into the New Year.
The run came to an end with two defeats, the latest of which was the 6-0 reversal at the hands of Stockport Town in mid week. The Staffordshire club were the victors when these two clubs met earlier in the season, which perhaps provides a good omen for the away side on Saturday.
Something of a local derby takes place at Crilly Park as Daisy Hill travel just 3 miles for their match against Atherton LR.
LR are another of our sides who have looked to bolster their squad of recent times. Kristian Evans and Adam Owens have come in recently from Rochdale Town as the management duo of Adam and Craig Jones work to reverse what has been a disappointing sequence of results. Having tasted victory just once in the last dozen matches, a change of fortunes would be most welcome.
Daisy Hill have been affected more than most by postponements recently, with only one match played in the months of December and January. That match was a defeat to high flying Hanley Town so the New Sirs outfit have little or no momentum to bring into this match.
Nevertheless, they will be working hard for success against a side currently a few places below them in the League table, and may just remember a narrow victory over Saturday afternoon’s opposition in the First Round of the MEN United Cup back in September.
Current First Division leaders Barnton host Ashton Town at Townfield. Barnton have added regularly to their squad during the season, with experienced goalkeeper Richie Mottram arriving recently from Runcorn Linnets followed by striker Tom Hincks and midfielder Jeff Gleave from Avon Athletic.
Competition for places amongst good quality players has had its reward this season with strong performances all term. A draw last time out in a Friday evening match at Litherland REMYCA might have been a surprise to some, but this match proved yet again how difficult it is to play 10 v 11 as Kev Towey departed the scene somewhat earlier than the rest.
Ashton Town haven’t played a home match since the last day of October. Precious few away matches either, but wins at Cheadle Town and Northwich Manchester Villa in January have boosted the Edge Green Street side who currently lie 6th in the League table. The midweek postponement at home to Atherton LR will have disappointed many, but that’s in the past and there is much to play for going forward.
Manager Terry Hincks takes his Cheadle Town side around the M60 to face Rochdale Town at the Mayfield Sports Centre.
With a Reusch First Division Cup Quarter Final at home to Stockport Town due up in a fortnight, Rochdale Town manager Mark Canning will be looking for some solid game time ahead of that match. The first opportunity comes with this match against Cheadle Town, where the home side will draw on a recent 5-0 home win over Chadderton and will probably recall with some pleasure a 3-0 win at the Park Road Stadium in the reverse League fixture back in October.
Cheadle Town have their own script to follow as they currently lie in a play off place but with sides immediately below them having games in hand. It has to be said that recent form has been disappointing with three consecutive League defeats following a good run up to Christmas moving the side off the top of the table.
They have an opportunity on Saturday to get back to winning ways, but we all know it will not be easy as every match in the First Division is competitive.
Over on Merseyside, Litherland REMYCA welcome Northwich Manchester Villa to the Litherland Sports Park.
REMY are in good form with only one defeat since the end of October, but that was to their visitors this Saturday. A fine draw in the Friday night match against league leaders Barnton last time out, with ex Barnton player Colin Quirke opening the scoring, will have put them in good spirits but they will try to forget that reversal at the Manchester Regional Arena back in December.
Northwich Manchester Villa have been nothing but inconsistent all season. Some indifferent form in League matches, mixed with some excellent performances in various cup matches.
Two matches in the Cheshire Senior Cup saw the East Manchester side defeat a strong Stalybridge Celtic outfit before exiting the competition in a match away at Warrington Town, but only after taking the Evo-Stik NPL1 North side to extra time.
The FA Carlsberg Vase saw a win over Rossington Main before bowing out in a replay away at Northern League FA Vase experts Whitley Bay. Cup matches are now out of the equation for the remainder of the season, as attention turns 100% to League matters. Memories of a narrow League win over today’s opponents just before Christmas may help.
Our final scheduled match this weekend sees Irlam host Hanley Town at Silver Street
Hanley have been quietly going about their business all season and currently lie just 5 points behind leaders Barnton but with 5 games in hand over their rivals for the title.
Not too many games played recently, but Hanley top the current divisional form table with a 100% record from their last six matches, suggesting that when matches are on, the side is certainly ready to play.
Theo Stair continues to find the back of the net regularly for the Potteries side and they currently look favourites to go one better than last season and claim a place in the Premier Division.
Irlam will have other ideas of course as they continue to enjoy a good season themselves. Significant ground improvements have been almost matched by performances on the field as Steve Nixon’s young side mature together into a cohesive outfit.
A defeat at home last Saturday at the hands of Bacup Borough will have come as a disappointment but the opportunity to get the show back on the road comes in this match. Expect a good contest between the two sides this Saturday.
Wherever you watch your football this Saturday, wrap up well and enjoy the match.
Division One Preview - Saturday 6th February 2016
Fri 5th February 2016 | General
By Stewart Taylor
Your reviewer has long had an admiration of the work of the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. One of his most famous quotes comes from the poem “The Rainy Day” -
Thy fate is the common fate of all;
Into each life some rain must fall.
Recent events rather suggest that Longfellow was somewhat understating the case when he makes reference to “some rain” but, there we are, all things in context perhaps and a reading of the full poem to get a better understanding of what Longfellow was really on about is recommended.
Whilst reflecting, albeit briefly, on American culture we could also make reference to a song written in 1946 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer which has the title “Come Rain or Come Shine”.
I could go on at great length about assorted modern jazz versions of this classic piece, but probably better to focus on the sentiment behind the title of the song and to fervently hope that, Come Rain or Come Shine, we get a full set of First Division fixtures completed on Saturday.
We start this week with a couple of fixtures which, short of some weather event of practically unheard of proportion, are pretty much assured to go ahead.
Holker Old Boys make the trip down to Woodley to face Stockport Town. The Lions have been enjoying their first season in the NWCFL and have benefited from the synthetic surface at Stockport Sports Village with less fixture disruption than most.
Nevertheless, they have not played an away League match since the middle of October so a run of away matches later in the season will be inevitable. They come into this match on a significant high, having played some fine football in securing a 6-0 win over Eccleshall in the only midweek fixture in the First Division.
Holker are handily placed in the League table occupying 7th spot and will be keen to push on. Holker have lost only once in their last six matches and that in a Lancashire Challenge Trophy match to an in-form Colne side from the Premier Division. That this fine run takes us back to the last day of October is a cause for concern, but the games in hand over play off rivals may help in due course. The match on Saturday afternoon between two rivals for play off positions should be fascinating.
Those on Merseyside looking for a match which is pretty much assured to be on need look no further than the Select Security Stadium, where Widnes entertain Chadderton.
Widnes Manager Steve Hill has recently strengthened his squad with the signing of striker Tunde Owolabi from New Mills, and defender Corey Mason who has featured at 1874 Northwich and will be pleased to get back to competitive action following consecutive postponements.
A home victory at the beginning of January over Bacup Borough has been the stand out result of recent times, and is something to try to build on in an effort to move up the League table.
Chadderton would have been disappointed to see their midweek match fall victim to the dreadful weather. Defeats on consecutive Saturdays away from their Andrew Street home will not have helped the confidence of a side which now sits 15th in the League table, and will need a tremendous improvement in results to have any chance of challenging for a play off place come the end of the season.
Bacup Borough travel to St Helens Town on Saturday with a 4-1 win away at Irlam last Saturday fresh in their minds.
Manager Brent Peters was understandably pleased with this result against a good Irlam side but the sending off of Irlam defender Jacques Kpohgomou late in the first half was pivotal. Consecutive wins scoring four goals in each match has set up Bacup well for their push into the play off places as they currently lie in 9th place.
Hosts St Helens Town have had a really good January, reflected in the award of First Division Club of the Month, with three away wins which have boosted their fortunes following a disappointing sequence of defeats and postponements in the run up to Christmas. The contribution of Andy Gillespie has been significant in helping to lift the side to well within sight of a play off position.
With both of these former Premier Division sides now setting out their respective stalls for a tilt at an immediate return, this should be a fascinating duel.
In the south of our region, newcomers Whitchurch Alport host Eccleshall at Yockings Park. A position at the bottom of the League table suggests that Whitchurch have not found life easy in their first season in the NWCFL. Just one win in the League for the Shropshire outfit, and struggling to find the back of the net in recent times, suggests that a difficult match could be in store on Saturday afternoon.
Eccleshall currently lie only one place above their hosts, but it has been something of a different story. Following a somewhat indifferent start to the season, Eccleshall were putting a decent run together with 4 wins on the bounce from the end of November and into the New Year.
The run came to an end with two defeats, the latest of which was the 6-0 reversal at the hands of Stockport Town in mid week. The Staffordshire club were the victors when these two clubs met earlier in the season, which perhaps provides a good omen for the away side on Saturday.
Something of a local derby takes place at Crilly Park as Daisy Hill travel just 3 miles for their match against Atherton LR.
LR are another of our sides who have looked to bolster their squad of recent times. Kristian Evans and Adam Owens have come in recently from Rochdale Town as the management duo of Adam and Craig Jones work to reverse what has been a disappointing sequence of results. Having tasted victory just once in the last dozen matches, a change of fortunes would be most welcome.
Daisy Hill have been affected more than most by postponements recently, with only one match played in the months of December and January. That match was a defeat to high flying Hanley Town so the New Sirs outfit have little or no momentum to bring into this match.
Nevertheless, they will be working hard for success against a side currently a few places below them in the League table, and may just remember a narrow victory over Saturday afternoon’s opposition in the First Round of the MEN United Cup back in September.
Current First Division leaders Barnton host Ashton Town at Townfield. Barnton have added regularly to their squad during the season, with experienced goalkeeper Richie Mottram arriving recently from Runcorn Linnets followed by striker Tom Hincks and midfielder Jeff Gleave from Avon Athletic.
Competition for places amongst good quality players has had its reward this season with strong performances all term. A draw last time out in a Friday evening match at Litherland REMYCA might have been a surprise to some, but this match proved yet again how difficult it is to play 10 v 11 as Kev Towey departed the scene somewhat earlier than the rest.
Ashton Town haven’t played a home match since the last day of October. Precious few away matches either, but wins at Cheadle Town and Northwich Manchester Villa in January have boosted the Edge Green Street side who currently lie 6th in the League table. The midweek postponement at home to Atherton LR will have disappointed many, but that’s in the past and there is much to play for going forward.
Manager Terry Hincks takes his Cheadle Town side around the M60 to face Rochdale Town at the Mayfield Sports Centre.
With a Reusch First Division Cup Quarter Final at home to Stockport Town due up in a fortnight, Rochdale Town manager Mark Canning will be looking for some solid game time ahead of that match. The first opportunity comes with this match against Cheadle Town, where the home side will draw on a recent 5-0 home win over Chadderton and will probably recall with some pleasure a 3-0 win at the Park Road Stadium in the reverse League fixture back in October.
Cheadle Town have their own script to follow as they currently lie in a play off place but with sides immediately below them having games in hand. It has to be said that recent form has been disappointing with three consecutive League defeats following a good run up to Christmas moving the side off the top of the table.
They have an opportunity on Saturday to get back to winning ways, but we all know it will not be easy as every match in the First Division is competitive.
Over on Merseyside, Litherland REMYCA welcome Northwich Manchester Villa to the Litherland Sports Park.
REMY are in good form with only one defeat since the end of October, but that was to their visitors this Saturday. A fine draw in the Friday night match against league leaders Barnton last time out, with ex Barnton player Colin Quirke opening the scoring, will have put them in good spirits but they will try to forget that reversal at the Manchester Regional Arena back in December.
Northwich Manchester Villa have been nothing but inconsistent all season. Some indifferent form in League matches, mixed with some excellent performances in various cup matches.
Two matches in the Cheshire Senior Cup saw the East Manchester side defeat a strong Stalybridge Celtic outfit before exiting the competition in a match away at Warrington Town, but only after taking the Evo-Stik NPL1 North side to extra time.
The FA Carlsberg Vase saw a win over Rossington Main before bowing out in a replay away at Northern League FA Vase experts Whitley Bay. Cup matches are now out of the equation for the remainder of the season, as attention turns 100% to League matters. Memories of a narrow League win over today’s opponents just before Christmas may help.
Our final scheduled match this weekend sees Irlam host Hanley Town at Silver Street
Hanley have been quietly going about their business all season and currently lie just 5 points behind leaders Barnton but with 5 games in hand over their rivals for the title.
Not too many games played recently, but Hanley top the current divisional form table with a 100% record from their last six matches, suggesting that when matches are on, the side is certainly ready to play.
Theo Stair continues to find the back of the net regularly for the Potteries side and they currently look favourites to go one better than last season and claim a place in the Premier Division.
Irlam will have other ideas of course as they continue to enjoy a good season themselves. Significant ground improvements have been almost matched by performances on the field as Steve Nixon’s young side mature together into a cohesive outfit.
A defeat at home last Saturday at the hands of Bacup Borough will have come as a disappointment but the opportunity to get the show back on the road comes in this match. Expect a good contest between the two sides this Saturday.
Wherever you watch your football this Saturday, wrap up well and enjoy the match.
