Week 36: Preview
Sat 28th March 2026 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
We’re well and truly in the thick of the run-in right now, which means weekends without a near-full house of NWCFL fixtures are going to be few and far between. Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…
Premier Division:
There’s still just one point, and one game in hand, between table-topping Wythenshawe and the chasing pack. On the verge of their 100th goal in the league this season, the Ammies will be on the road this weekend to meet 17th placed Cheadle Town.
Should they drop points, second-placed Ramsbottom United can sneak into top spot for the moment, provided they can score a victory over third-bottom Pilkington, who are currently on an 11-game losing streak.
After defeat to Rammy last weekend, Chadderton have seen their late title push falter. They’re still third and remain in the only side in the division to have hit 100 goals this season, but they have the potential to slip further down the table with a home game against fourth placed Atherton LR, currently breathing down their necks, just two points behind.
Padiham, resilient in their mission to maintain a play-off spot, are back in action this weekend, hosting 11th placed Stockport Town at the Ruby Civil Arena. Another win, like last weekend, and they stay in the play-off spots; failure to win, and sixth placed Irlam can leapfrog the Storks into the top five, should they better their result when they welcome Longridge Town to Silver Street.
Should both Padiham and Irlam drop points, seventh placed Prestwich Heys, currently enjoying a mightily impressive eight-game winning streak, will be licking their chops. They aim to make it nine on the spin this weekend as they meet ninth placed FC St Helens at Adie Moran Park.
Separating Heys and FC in the standings right now are West Didsbury & Chorlton, who suffered defeat last weekend in a play-off battle six-pointer. They’ll be hoping to lick their wounds this weekend away at 16th placed AFC Liverpool.
At the foot of the division, it’s now or never for bottom side City of Liverpool. With 13 points separating them from safety and just five games left to play, defeat this weekend in the day’s late game against 20th placed FC Isle of Man away from home spells confirmed relegation.
Second-bottom Litherland REMYCA face a mountain not quite as steep to secure survival this season, but a mountain, nonetheless. With six games left to go for REMY, they need to take every chance they can get to cut the 10-point gap between themselves and 22nd in the division. That starts with this weekend’s hosting of fourth bottom Abbey Hey.
Separated by two points and Longridge in the table at the moment are 12th placed Charnock Richard and 14th placed South Liverpool, who will go toe to toe at the former’s Mossie Park on Saturday, with the visitors knowing they can leapfrog their hosts in the league with maximum points.
Two more games from mid-table on the cards this weekend with nought on the line but pride. Burscough, 10th in the table, will welcome 19th placed Barnoldswick Town to the Community Ground; and 15th placed Glossop North End will host Euxton Villa, sitting in 18th, at the Asgard Engineering Stadium.
First Division North:
Nelson have retaken top spot in the First Division North, where the once-crowded title race has been narrowed to two serious competitors. The side from Little Wembley bagged a win in midweek, and they will aim to do the same on Saturday away at seventh placed Thornton Cleveleys.
Second placed Droylsden, who have been usurped from the would-be throne, will need to better Nelson’s result if they want to reclaim top spot. They go away from home on Saturday to meet the stern test of fourth placed Squires Gate at the Skiddle Community Stadium.
Gate’s position in the top five is by no means set in stone. Just a point separates third in the division from sixth right now, with Darwen FC currently better off than their opponents in this particular battle. That could all change on Saturday, as the Salmoners face fellow promotion hopefuls in fifth placed MSB Woolton away from home.
Maghull will be well aware that bettering the results of any of the three sides above them will land them in the play-off places by the end of the day on Saturday. Their opponents this weekend are second-bottom Garstang, from whom victory might see them escape the drop zone with five games left to play.
Tied up with ‘Stang in the battle to avoid the drop are third-bottom Ashton Athletic, who will welcome 10th placed Fulwood Amateurs to Brocstedes Park on Saturday; and fourth-bottom Colne, currently safe, but just a point ahead of the two sides directly below them in the standings, with 12th placed Daisy Hill to contend with this weekend.
Holker Old Boys, currently eighth, and with one to three games in hand on every single team above them in the table, should not be counted out of the play-offs race just yet. They will be on the road on Saturday to meet 11th placed Ashton Town, knowing that favourable results might see them move to within a point of the top five.
The same can be said for ninth placed Bacup Borough, who have one less point and one less game left to play this season than Holker, but are still potential contenders. They’ll be aiming to maintain such a status on Saturday as they host 14th placed AFC Blackpool.
Right at the foot of the table, Maine Road’s chances at survival are starting to dwindle. They will fancy themselves to give one-win-in-nine Steeton a good game on paper on Saturday, but they will remain bottom regardless of results this weekend.
First Division South:
The task is simple for Runcorn Town – win at home, and they are officially champions of the First Division South. The team standing between them and the title this weekend is 12th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads.
Current second placed side Eccleshall have fought valiantly throughout the season to keep up with Runcorn, but their focus should now be on maintaining their position as best of the rest. With just a point separating them from the team in third, they will take on play-off hopefuls Sandbach United away from home on Saturday.
Stockport Georgians are third right now, albeit having played two games more than Eccleshall. Still, they can usurp their fellow promotion contenders in the standings this weekend by bettering their result when they go on the road to meet third-bottom Shawbury United.
Despite just two wins in their last six in the league, fourth placed New Mills remain very much in the thick of a play-off battle going on in the South. They’ve drawn their last two games but will be aiming to turn one point into three this Saturday when welcoming ninth placed Barnton to Church Lane.
Ashville have held onto their spot in the top five despite defeat last weekend, and they will hold a minute’s silence ahead of Saturday’s hosting of 15th placed Market Drayton Town to honour their 101-year-old club founder John Dennett, who tragically passed on Sunday – thoughts of everyone at the NWCFL are with all involved at Ashville.
A defeat for either the Millers or the Villa would fling the door wide open for sixth placed Stafford Town to reclaim a spot in the top five. They’re just a point behind the play-off spots with three left to play, and they will take on 11th placed Wolves Causals at home this weekend.
In the bottom half of the division, there’s a meeting of the two sides in the table with 32 points to their names at this late stage. Neither of 13th placed Foley Meir or 14th placed Cammell Laird 1907 are in relegation trouble, but they might have something to prove to one another on Saturday at the Trentham Foods Stadium.
Second-bottom Alsager Town had a relegation battle six-pointer curtailed early due to player injury last weekend. This weekend, they’re pencilled in for an away trip to eighth placed Telford Town, with just a point currently keeping them on the wrong side of the dotted line – plenty to fight for.
Week 36: Preview
Sat 28th March 2026 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
We’re well and truly in the thick of the run-in right now, which means weekends without a near-full house of NWCFL fixtures are going to be few and far between. Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…
Premier Division:
There’s still just one point, and one game in hand, between table-topping Wythenshawe and the chasing pack. On the verge of their 100th goal in the league this season, the Ammies will be on the road this weekend to meet 17th placed Cheadle Town.
Should they drop points, second-placed Ramsbottom United can sneak into top spot for the moment, provided they can score a victory over third-bottom Pilkington, who are currently on an 11-game losing streak.
After defeat to Rammy last weekend, Chadderton have seen their late title push falter. They’re still third and remain in the only side in the division to have hit 100 goals this season, but they have the potential to slip further down the table with a home game against fourth placed Atherton LR, currently breathing down their necks, just two points behind.
Padiham, resilient in their mission to maintain a play-off spot, are back in action this weekend, hosting 11th placed Stockport Town at the Ruby Civil Arena. Another win, like last weekend, and they stay in the play-off spots; failure to win, and sixth placed Irlam can leapfrog the Storks into the top five, should they better their result when they welcome Longridge Town to Silver Street.
Should both Padiham and Irlam drop points, seventh placed Prestwich Heys, currently enjoying a mightily impressive eight-game winning streak, will be licking their chops. They aim to make it nine on the spin this weekend as they meet ninth placed FC St Helens at Adie Moran Park.
Separating Heys and FC in the standings right now are West Didsbury & Chorlton, who suffered defeat last weekend in a play-off battle six-pointer. They’ll be hoping to lick their wounds this weekend away at 16th placed AFC Liverpool.
At the foot of the division, it’s now or never for bottom side City of Liverpool. With 13 points separating them from safety and just five games left to play, defeat this weekend in the day’s late game against 20th placed FC Isle of Man away from home spells confirmed relegation.
Second-bottom Litherland REMYCA face a mountain not quite as steep to secure survival this season, but a mountain, nonetheless. With six games left to go for REMY, they need to take every chance they can get to cut the 10-point gap between themselves and 22nd in the division. That starts with this weekend’s hosting of fourth bottom Abbey Hey.
Separated by two points and Longridge in the table at the moment are 12th placed Charnock Richard and 14th placed South Liverpool, who will go toe to toe at the former’s Mossie Park on Saturday, with the visitors knowing they can leapfrog their hosts in the league with maximum points.
Two more games from mid-table on the cards this weekend with nought on the line but pride. Burscough, 10th in the table, will welcome 19th placed Barnoldswick Town to the Community Ground; and 15th placed Glossop North End will host Euxton Villa, sitting in 18th, at the Asgard Engineering Stadium.
First Division North:
Nelson have retaken top spot in the First Division North, where the once-crowded title race has been narrowed to two serious competitors. The side from Little Wembley bagged a win in midweek, and they will aim to do the same on Saturday away at seventh placed Thornton Cleveleys.
Second placed Droylsden, who have been usurped from the would-be throne, will need to better Nelson’s result if they want to reclaim top spot. They go away from home on Saturday to meet the stern test of fourth placed Squires Gate at the Skiddle Community Stadium.
Gate’s position in the top five is by no means set in stone. Just a point separates third in the division from sixth right now, with Darwen FC currently better off than their opponents in this particular battle. That could all change on Saturday, as the Salmoners face fellow promotion hopefuls in fifth placed MSB Woolton away from home.
Maghull will be well aware that bettering the results of any of the three sides above them will land them in the play-off places by the end of the day on Saturday. Their opponents this weekend are second-bottom Garstang, from whom victory might see them escape the drop zone with five games left to play.
Tied up with ‘Stang in the battle to avoid the drop are third-bottom Ashton Athletic, who will welcome 10th placed Fulwood Amateurs to Brocstedes Park on Saturday; and fourth-bottom Colne, currently safe, but just a point ahead of the two sides directly below them in the standings, with 12th placed Daisy Hill to contend with this weekend.
Holker Old Boys, currently eighth, and with one to three games in hand on every single team above them in the table, should not be counted out of the play-offs race just yet. They will be on the road on Saturday to meet 11th placed Ashton Town, knowing that favourable results might see them move to within a point of the top five.
The same can be said for ninth placed Bacup Borough, who have one less point and one less game left to play this season than Holker, but are still potential contenders. They’ll be aiming to maintain such a status on Saturday as they host 14th placed AFC Blackpool.
Right at the foot of the table, Maine Road’s chances at survival are starting to dwindle. They will fancy themselves to give one-win-in-nine Steeton a good game on paper on Saturday, but they will remain bottom regardless of results this weekend.
First Division South:
The task is simple for Runcorn Town – win at home, and they are officially champions of the First Division South. The team standing between them and the title this weekend is 12th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads.
Current second placed side Eccleshall have fought valiantly throughout the season to keep up with Runcorn, but their focus should now be on maintaining their position as best of the rest. With just a point separating them from the team in third, they will take on play-off hopefuls Sandbach United away from home on Saturday.
Stockport Georgians are third right now, albeit having played two games more than Eccleshall. Still, they can usurp their fellow promotion contenders in the standings this weekend by bettering their result when they go on the road to meet third-bottom Shawbury United.
Despite just two wins in their last six in the league, fourth placed New Mills remain very much in the thick of a play-off battle going on in the South. They’ve drawn their last two games but will be aiming to turn one point into three this Saturday when welcoming ninth placed Barnton to Church Lane.
Ashville have held onto their spot in the top five despite defeat last weekend, and they will hold a minute’s silence ahead of Saturday’s hosting of 15th placed Market Drayton Town to honour their 101-year-old club founder John Dennett, who tragically passed on Sunday – thoughts of everyone at the NWCFL are with all involved at Ashville.
A defeat for either the Millers or the Villa would fling the door wide open for sixth placed Stafford Town to reclaim a spot in the top five. They’re just a point behind the play-off spots with three left to play, and they will take on 11th placed Wolves Causals at home this weekend.
In the bottom half of the division, there’s a meeting of the two sides in the table with 32 points to their names at this late stage. Neither of 13th placed Foley Meir or 14th placed Cammell Laird 1907 are in relegation trouble, but they might have something to prove to one another on Saturday at the Trentham Foods Stadium.
Second-bottom Alsager Town had a relegation battle six-pointer curtailed early due to player injury last weekend. This weekend, they’re pencilled in for an away trip to eighth placed Telford Town, with just a point currently keeping them on the wrong side of the dotted line – plenty to fight for.
