Week 34: Preview
Fri 13th March 2026 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
It’s semi-final time in the Edward Case Cup for 2025/26! Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…
Edward Case Cup, semi-final:
There are two instances of North VS South from the Edward Case Cup Final Four this Saturday.
Firstly, at 2pm, newly established First Division North leaders Nelson will play host to long-standing First Division South table-toppers Runcorn Town at The Daisy Arena in a battle of the best from Step Six to see who will make the final.
Slightly later, at 3pm, First Division North play-off contenders Darwen FC will welcome First Division South promotion hopefuls Stockport Georgians to the Multevo Group Anchor Ground, with a chance at the trophy on the line.
Premier Division:
There’s another full house of fixtures scheduled for the Prem this weekend.
Table-topping Wythenshawe have seen their march towards the title take a stumble in recent games. They’re winless in three as they gear up to battle fellow promotion contenders Irlam, fourth in the table and 10 points behind the Ammies, on home soil this Saturday.
Second in the table remain Ramsbottom United, just a point ahead of the rest of the chasing pack at this time. They face a potential banana skin fixture this weekend as they travel to the SMS Pro Soccer Park to meet eighth placed FC St Helens. The side currently breathing down Rammy’s necks in the race for second are Chadderton, unbeaten in 11 and raring to go against FC Isle of Man away from home in Saturday’s late kick-off.
Padiham continue to complete the play-off picture right now, but their status as a top five side might well be on the line this weekend as they go on the road to the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground to face Euxton Villa this weekend. Just two points behind the Storks are the division’s form team in Atherton LR, who’ve not lost since November, have won their last 10, and show no signs of slowing down ahead of a meeting with fourth-bottom Pilkington at home.
Another side in red hot form right now are 10th placed Prestwich Heys, who began a five-game winning streak in mid-February with a 7-0 win over City of Liverpool. This weekend brings the reverse fixture between the two sides form Heys’ own Adie Moran Park.
Only Litherland REMYCA are keeping City of Liverpool off the foot of the table, but there’s just three points separating those sides right now, and REMY have avoided defeat in three of their last four. Maximum points against Charnock Richard at home this weekend could see them off the bottom of the league for the first time since the early weeks of the campaign.
Third-bottom Abbey Hey were beaten for the first time in four games in midweek, keeping their cushion from the bottom two to 10 points. Their opponents on Saturday will be 14th placed Glossop North End, who took a point from league leaders Wythenshawe with a competitive performance last time out.
West Didsbury & Chorlton are still outside shouts for the play-offs at this stage, with two games in hand on the top five and a seven-point gap to potentially make up. They’ll have to win in the league for the first time since February 24th against 12th placed Longridge Town this weekend to keep up the pressure.
Both of ninth placed Burscough and 11th placed Stockport Town would need some very favourable results from their remaining games to have a chance at the play-offs, being eight and 12 points adrift, respectively. Even if any promotion ambitions need to wait another year, one of these teams might be able to hoodwink the other at the Community Ground this weekend.
Despite a nine-point gap between them, Merseyside outfits South Liverpool and AFC Liverpool are neighbours in the Prem standings. Should the latter overcome the former at Jericho Lane this Saturday, they’d cut the gap between them by a third whilst retaining four games in hand on their hosts.
Fifth-bottom Barnoldswick Town are on a less than favourable run right now, having only won one of their last 11 in all competitions. This weekend, they’ll welcome 17th placed Cheadle Town, who have avoided defeat in three of their last four, winning two in that time, to the Silentnight Stadium.
First Division North:
Six games to come from the North this weekend.
With Nelson preoccupied with the Edward Case Cup, the door is open for second placed Droylsden to reclaim top spot in the league with maximum points against fourth-bottom Colne, who are just a point above the drop zone after recent games. Should the Bloods fall short, the rest of the chasing pack can close the gap on them to just a point. On Saturday, that chasing pack takes the form of fifth placed Bacup Borough, who will host bottom club Maine Road.
Squires Gate dropped out of the top five after a defeat last weekend, but with just Droylsden and Bacup above them in league action on Saturday, they have a relatively unimpeded path back into the play-offs ahead of them. Their only obstacle are this weekend’s visitors to the Skiddle Community Stadium – Daisy Hill.
Both Maghull and Ashton Town led the league table at points following the turn of the year but drop offs in form have seen them fall to seventh and 11th, respectively. This weekend, they battle each other at the former’s DT Hughes Community Stadium, hoping to reignite a play-offs push – just two points would do the trick for Maghull.
Two points would also be the tonic for eighth placed Thornton Cleveleys to sneak back into the top five, provided the rest of this weekend’s results also go their way. To do that, though, they’ll need to overcome 10th placed Holker Old Boys on the road.
Fifth-bottom AFC Blackpool have had little respite from a poor run recently, losing 10 of their last 11 in all competitions, which has left them four points above the drop zone. To change their fortunes, they’ll have to claim victory on home soil this Saturday against ninth placed Fulwood Amateurs.
First Division South:
Another six fixtures coming your way from the South.
Fourth placed Ashville, who charged into the play-offs last week, are the highest ranked team In the First Division South to feature in a league game on Saturday. With the teams above them either playing in the Edward Case Cup, or not at all, they will aim to solidify their top five spot with victory on the road against 13th placed Wolves Casuals.
Also hoping to consolidate their spot in the play-off places are fifth placed Sandbach United, aiming for victory away at ninth placed Barnton after falling short last weekend. The team that inflicted that loss were sixth placed New Mills, now just four points behind United and with their own designs on the play-offs. They will be in action on Saturday, away at fourth-bottom Market Drayton Town.
Just a point further down the division from the Millers are Stafford Town, whose three-game unbeaten run was stopped last weekend by the league leaders. They’ll be aiming to right the ship and continue their promotion pursuit at home to 10th placed Allscott Heath, knowing they still have games in hand on some of the top five.
Merely a poor goal difference than that of Alsager Town is keeping Shawbury United inside the bottom two at time of writing. A 5-2 loss in midweek is something that the SY4 side will need to recover from on Saturday as they welcome 11th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads, who are unbeaten in three.
Telford Town looked revitalised in midweek, leading twice in a 2-2 draw and avoiding defeat for the first time in six games. With that bit of momentum on their side, their next visitors to the DRM Aggregate Arena will be 14th placed Foley Meir, whose ongoing winless run of seven games, amidst MANY postponements, has seen them slip to within six points of the drop zone.
Week 34: Preview
Fri 13th March 2026 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
It’s semi-final time in the Edward Case Cup for 2025/26! Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…
Edward Case Cup, semi-final:
There are two instances of North VS South from the Edward Case Cup Final Four this Saturday.
Firstly, at 2pm, newly established First Division North leaders Nelson will play host to long-standing First Division South table-toppers Runcorn Town at The Daisy Arena in a battle of the best from Step Six to see who will make the final.
Slightly later, at 3pm, First Division North play-off contenders Darwen FC will welcome First Division South promotion hopefuls Stockport Georgians to the Multevo Group Anchor Ground, with a chance at the trophy on the line.
Premier Division:
There’s another full house of fixtures scheduled for the Prem this weekend.
Table-topping Wythenshawe have seen their march towards the title take a stumble in recent games. They’re winless in three as they gear up to battle fellow promotion contenders Irlam, fourth in the table and 10 points behind the Ammies, on home soil this Saturday.
Second in the table remain Ramsbottom United, just a point ahead of the rest of the chasing pack at this time. They face a potential banana skin fixture this weekend as they travel to the SMS Pro Soccer Park to meet eighth placed FC St Helens. The side currently breathing down Rammy’s necks in the race for second are Chadderton, unbeaten in 11 and raring to go against FC Isle of Man away from home in Saturday’s late kick-off.
Padiham continue to complete the play-off picture right now, but their status as a top five side might well be on the line this weekend as they go on the road to the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground to face Euxton Villa this weekend. Just two points behind the Storks are the division’s form team in Atherton LR, who’ve not lost since November, have won their last 10, and show no signs of slowing down ahead of a meeting with fourth-bottom Pilkington at home.
Another side in red hot form right now are 10th placed Prestwich Heys, who began a five-game winning streak in mid-February with a 7-0 win over City of Liverpool. This weekend brings the reverse fixture between the two sides form Heys’ own Adie Moran Park.
Only Litherland REMYCA are keeping City of Liverpool off the foot of the table, but there’s just three points separating those sides right now, and REMY have avoided defeat in three of their last four. Maximum points against Charnock Richard at home this weekend could see them off the bottom of the league for the first time since the early weeks of the campaign.
Third-bottom Abbey Hey were beaten for the first time in four games in midweek, keeping their cushion from the bottom two to 10 points. Their opponents on Saturday will be 14th placed Glossop North End, who took a point from league leaders Wythenshawe with a competitive performance last time out.
West Didsbury & Chorlton are still outside shouts for the play-offs at this stage, with two games in hand on the top five and a seven-point gap to potentially make up. They’ll have to win in the league for the first time since February 24th against 12th placed Longridge Town this weekend to keep up the pressure.
Both of ninth placed Burscough and 11th placed Stockport Town would need some very favourable results from their remaining games to have a chance at the play-offs, being eight and 12 points adrift, respectively. Even if any promotion ambitions need to wait another year, one of these teams might be able to hoodwink the other at the Community Ground this weekend.
Despite a nine-point gap between them, Merseyside outfits South Liverpool and AFC Liverpool are neighbours in the Prem standings. Should the latter overcome the former at Jericho Lane this Saturday, they’d cut the gap between them by a third whilst retaining four games in hand on their hosts.
Fifth-bottom Barnoldswick Town are on a less than favourable run right now, having only won one of their last 11 in all competitions. This weekend, they’ll welcome 17th placed Cheadle Town, who have avoided defeat in three of their last four, winning two in that time, to the Silentnight Stadium.
First Division North:
Six games to come from the North this weekend.
With Nelson preoccupied with the Edward Case Cup, the door is open for second placed Droylsden to reclaim top spot in the league with maximum points against fourth-bottom Colne, who are just a point above the drop zone after recent games. Should the Bloods fall short, the rest of the chasing pack can close the gap on them to just a point. On Saturday, that chasing pack takes the form of fifth placed Bacup Borough, who will host bottom club Maine Road.
Squires Gate dropped out of the top five after a defeat last weekend, but with just Droylsden and Bacup above them in league action on Saturday, they have a relatively unimpeded path back into the play-offs ahead of them. Their only obstacle are this weekend’s visitors to the Skiddle Community Stadium – Daisy Hill.
Both Maghull and Ashton Town led the league table at points following the turn of the year but drop offs in form have seen them fall to seventh and 11th, respectively. This weekend, they battle each other at the former’s DT Hughes Community Stadium, hoping to reignite a play-offs push – just two points would do the trick for Maghull.
Two points would also be the tonic for eighth placed Thornton Cleveleys to sneak back into the top five, provided the rest of this weekend’s results also go their way. To do that, though, they’ll need to overcome 10th placed Holker Old Boys on the road.
Fifth-bottom AFC Blackpool have had little respite from a poor run recently, losing 10 of their last 11 in all competitions, which has left them four points above the drop zone. To change their fortunes, they’ll have to claim victory on home soil this Saturday against ninth placed Fulwood Amateurs.
First Division South:
Another six fixtures coming your way from the South.
Fourth placed Ashville, who charged into the play-offs last week, are the highest ranked team In the First Division South to feature in a league game on Saturday. With the teams above them either playing in the Edward Case Cup, or not at all, they will aim to solidify their top five spot with victory on the road against 13th placed Wolves Casuals.
Also hoping to consolidate their spot in the play-off places are fifth placed Sandbach United, aiming for victory away at ninth placed Barnton after falling short last weekend. The team that inflicted that loss were sixth placed New Mills, now just four points behind United and with their own designs on the play-offs. They will be in action on Saturday, away at fourth-bottom Market Drayton Town.
Just a point further down the division from the Millers are Stafford Town, whose three-game unbeaten run was stopped last weekend by the league leaders. They’ll be aiming to right the ship and continue their promotion pursuit at home to 10th placed Allscott Heath, knowing they still have games in hand on some of the top five.
Merely a poor goal difference than that of Alsager Town is keeping Shawbury United inside the bottom two at time of writing. A 5-2 loss in midweek is something that the SY4 side will need to recover from on Saturday as they welcome 11th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads, who are unbeaten in three.
Telford Town looked revitalised in midweek, leading twice in a 2-2 draw and avoiding defeat for the first time in six games. With that bit of momentum on their side, their next visitors to the DRM Aggregate Arena will be 14th placed Foley Meir, whose ongoing winless run of seven games, amidst MANY postponements, has seen them slip to within six points of the drop zone.
