Week 20: Preview
Fri 5th December 2025 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
The third round of the Isuzu FA Vase is upon us! Let's see who is facing whom this weekend...
Saturday:
Isuzu FA Vase, 3rd Round:
There are still an impressive nine teams flying the NWCFL flag in the Isuzu FA Vase at this stage of the competition. There are guaranteed to be at least another three in the next round, as six of the teams competing in the competition on Saturday will face one another.
Premier Division Chadderton will welcome fellow divisional outfit Burscough; there will be an all-First Division North clash contested between Droylsden and Fulwood Amateurs; and Prem promotion pushers Ramsbottom United will play host to First Division North play-off contenders Nelson.
The remaining three teams from the NWCFL in the Vase will be on their travels on Saturday, as South Liverpool head to Albion Sports; West Didsbury & Chorlton visit Rossington Main; and Prestwich Heys will meet last season’s First Division South champions, Winsford United.
Premier Division:
The remaining 18 teams from the Prem who don’t feature in the Vase this weekend are all in league action. The 3pm kick-offs are headlined by Litherland REMYCA, who FINALLY snapped a 24-game losing streak with a midweek win over Cheadle Town. Their next potential victims? Glossop North End, away from home.
Second-bottom Abbey Hey are involved in something of a relegation battle six-pointer this weekend as they travel to fifth-bottom AFC Liverpool, who are just five points ahead of them in the table. City of Liverpool are hovering a mere point above the bottom two at the time of writing, and have an almighty test on their hands this weekend with the visit of play-off stalwarts Wythenshawe.
Completing the picture towards the foot of the table are Euxton Villa, whose six-point head start on the bottom two could be much improved with maximum points at home to mid-table Pilkington; and, occupying the evening kick-off slot, FC Isle of Man, who will host best of the rest Irlam at the Bowl at 6pm.
At the right end of the table, newly re-established table toppers Padiham will hope to capitalise on their two closest challengers being in Vase action this Saturday with a victory over 18th placed Cheadle Town, hoping to lick their wounds with an upset win after their midweek upset defeat to Litherland. FC St Helens are the latest beneficiaries of the play-off merry-go-round – if they better Irlam’s result in their visit to Stockport Town this weekend, they will be guarneteed a spot in the top five for at least one extra matchday.
From the middle of the pack, 17th placed Charnock Richard will welcome 11th placed Longridge Town to Mossie Park in a greater Preston area derby; and 12th placed Atherton LR will play hosts to 16th placed Barnoldswick Town across two games that could reshuffle the mid-table scene.
First Division North:
The top three from the First Division North are all in league action this weekend, and they are all playing away from home. Darwen FC were fully expecting to be playing at Brocstedes Park this weekend when their schedule read Ashton Athletic, but that game will instead be played at Ashton Town’s Bartons Group Stadium.
Thankfully, Ashton Town, in second, always knew they were going to be on the road on Saturday, with a visit to Thornton Cleveleys on the horizon. Finally, league leaders Maghull will hope to stay their place atop the tree as they travel to the Skiddle Community Stadium to battle Squires Gate. At the time of writing, just one point separates all three of these promotion pushers.
There are another three matches to bring you from this division from a little further down the table. Firstly, there’s a battle between two sides with exactly 20 points to their name by this point 0f the season, as Holker Old Boys welcome Daisy Hill. Next, seventh-placed AFC Blackpool are in the running for a spot in the top five if they can take maximum points from their visit to 15th placed Maine Road, with none of the three teams above them playing in the league this weekend.
Finally, two of the bottom three will go head-to-head at Jericho Lane, as MSB Woolton, currently inside the relegation places on goal difference alone, welcome Garstang, who start the day three points behind their hosts and with a game in hand.
First Division South:
There’s almost a full class roster in action in the First Division South on Saturday, with a good handful of Top VS Bottom clashes to bring to your attention.
Third-placed Barnton will be travelling southwards for their meeting with bottom side Wolves Sporting; fourth-placed Stafford Town will be playing hosts to third-bottom Shawbury United, who are just one win conditional away from escaping the drop zone; and seventh-placed Sandbach United, a mere point behind the top five ads of right now, will travel to second-bottom Haughmond.
Top of the tree Runcorn Town are actually not one of those sides at the right end of the table squaring off with a side from the wrong end, as they will travel to Chruch Lane to face 9th placed New Mills.
Second-placed Eccleshall will be hoping to gain ground on leaders Runcorn in a mouth-watering clash emanating from their Stoke Signage Stadium. The visitors will be sixth-placed Stockport Georgians, who can theoretically sneak into the top five with a win, but will be dependent on results elsewhere. They’d be reliant on either a Stafford Town failure to win, or the same from Telford Town, who are also in home action against Ashville.
From the centre of the division, 12th meets 11th in a very even matchup at the Ideal Building Sytstems Stadium, where Cheadle Heath Nomads will entertain Allscott Heath. Finally, there’s a meeting between two sides who are currently perched just outside of the relegation places going into this weekend – just four points separates hosting Cammell Laird 1907 from their visitors, Wolves Casuals, with just another three keeping the away side out of the drop zone.
Week 20: Preview
Fri 5th December 2025 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
The third round of the Isuzu FA Vase is upon us! Let's see who is facing whom this weekend...
Saturday:
Isuzu FA Vase, 3rd Round:
There are still an impressive nine teams flying the NWCFL flag in the Isuzu FA Vase at this stage of the competition. There are guaranteed to be at least another three in the next round, as six of the teams competing in the competition on Saturday will face one another.
Premier Division Chadderton will welcome fellow divisional outfit Burscough; there will be an all-First Division North clash contested between Droylsden and Fulwood Amateurs; and Prem promotion pushers Ramsbottom United will play host to First Division North play-off contenders Nelson.
The remaining three teams from the NWCFL in the Vase will be on their travels on Saturday, as South Liverpool head to Albion Sports; West Didsbury & Chorlton visit Rossington Main; and Prestwich Heys will meet last season’s First Division South champions, Winsford United.
Premier Division:
The remaining 18 teams from the Prem who don’t feature in the Vase this weekend are all in league action. The 3pm kick-offs are headlined by Litherland REMYCA, who FINALLY snapped a 24-game losing streak with a midweek win over Cheadle Town. Their next potential victims? Glossop North End, away from home.
Second-bottom Abbey Hey are involved in something of a relegation battle six-pointer this weekend as they travel to fifth-bottom AFC Liverpool, who are just five points ahead of them in the table. City of Liverpool are hovering a mere point above the bottom two at the time of writing, and have an almighty test on their hands this weekend with the visit of play-off stalwarts Wythenshawe.
Completing the picture towards the foot of the table are Euxton Villa, whose six-point head start on the bottom two could be much improved with maximum points at home to mid-table Pilkington; and, occupying the evening kick-off slot, FC Isle of Man, who will host best of the rest Irlam at the Bowl at 6pm.
At the right end of the table, newly re-established table toppers Padiham will hope to capitalise on their two closest challengers being in Vase action this Saturday with a victory over 18th placed Cheadle Town, hoping to lick their wounds with an upset win after their midweek upset defeat to Litherland. FC St Helens are the latest beneficiaries of the play-off merry-go-round – if they better Irlam’s result in their visit to Stockport Town this weekend, they will be guarneteed a spot in the top five for at least one extra matchday.
From the middle of the pack, 17th placed Charnock Richard will welcome 11th placed Longridge Town to Mossie Park in a greater Preston area derby; and 12th placed Atherton LR will play hosts to 16th placed Barnoldswick Town across two games that could reshuffle the mid-table scene.
First Division North:
The top three from the First Division North are all in league action this weekend, and they are all playing away from home. Darwen FC were fully expecting to be playing at Brocstedes Park this weekend when their schedule read Ashton Athletic, but that game will instead be played at Ashton Town’s Bartons Group Stadium.
Thankfully, Ashton Town, in second, always knew they were going to be on the road on Saturday, with a visit to Thornton Cleveleys on the horizon. Finally, league leaders Maghull will hope to stay their place atop the tree as they travel to the Skiddle Community Stadium to battle Squires Gate. At the time of writing, just one point separates all three of these promotion pushers.
There are another three matches to bring you from this division from a little further down the table. Firstly, there’s a battle between two sides with exactly 20 points to their name by this point 0f the season, as Holker Old Boys welcome Daisy Hill. Next, seventh-placed AFC Blackpool are in the running for a spot in the top five if they can take maximum points from their visit to 15th placed Maine Road, with none of the three teams above them playing in the league this weekend.
Finally, two of the bottom three will go head-to-head at Jericho Lane, as MSB Woolton, currently inside the relegation places on goal difference alone, welcome Garstang, who start the day three points behind their hosts and with a game in hand.
First Division South:
There’s almost a full class roster in action in the First Division South on Saturday, with a good handful of Top VS Bottom clashes to bring to your attention.
Third-placed Barnton will be travelling southwards for their meeting with bottom side Wolves Sporting; fourth-placed Stafford Town will be playing hosts to third-bottom Shawbury United, who are just one win conditional away from escaping the drop zone; and seventh-placed Sandbach United, a mere point behind the top five ads of right now, will travel to second-bottom Haughmond.
Top of the tree Runcorn Town are actually not one of those sides at the right end of the table squaring off with a side from the wrong end, as they will travel to Chruch Lane to face 9th placed New Mills.
Second-placed Eccleshall will be hoping to gain ground on leaders Runcorn in a mouth-watering clash emanating from their Stoke Signage Stadium. The visitors will be sixth-placed Stockport Georgians, who can theoretically sneak into the top five with a win, but will be dependent on results elsewhere. They’d be reliant on either a Stafford Town failure to win, or the same from Telford Town, who are also in home action against Ashville.
From the centre of the division, 12th meets 11th in a very even matchup at the Ideal Building Sytstems Stadium, where Cheadle Heath Nomads will entertain Allscott Heath. Finally, there’s a meeting between two sides who are currently perched just outside of the relegation places going into this weekend – just four points separates hosting Cammell Laird 1907 from their visitors, Wolves Casuals, with just another three keeping the away side out of the drop zone.
