A fully focused return to league action coming your way from the NWCFL this weekend.
Saturday
Premier Division:
A mouth-watering top of the table clash is pencilled in for 3pm when table-topping Droylsden host second placed Barnoldswick Town at the Butchers Arms. The Bloods are a point ahead having played a game less than Barlick, but the visitors are coming into this one off the back of a 7-0 win.
Hoping for a draw from the above fixture will be third placed Nelson, whose superior goal difference would take them back to the top of the tree with a win. should the points be shared between their two current superiors. They have by no means an easy task of their own to complete this weekend - a home win would be necessary against fellow play-off place occupiers Trafford.
Burscough currently complete the play-off picture, and will attempt to maintain such a status as they go on the road for a great Liverpooll derby on Saturday to meet 17th placed Litherland REMYCA.
A slip up might still keep the Linnets in the top five, but they would drop to being level on points with the best of the rest. That is a title currently held by sixth placed Irlam, who are only two points better off than their opponents this weekend, Glossop North End.
Seperating Irlam and GNE in the standings right now are Chadderton and Atherton LR. These two sides will go head to head at the former's Emplas Commercial North Stadium, as they both aim to narrow the points gap between themsevles and the play-off places to nil.
Charnock Richard, in 10th, are currently the best placed side in the division that are yet to break the 20-point barrier. This weekend could be their one to acheive that feat, should they score maximum points at home to 14th placee Ramsbottom United.
Right behind them are Prestwich Heys - the second of three teams currently within one victory from getting over the 20-point line. Should they overcome 13th placed FC St Helens on home soil, they'll meet their target, but defeat would see them drop below their visitors in the table.
FC Isle of Man are also in the running to break into the top half of the table from their current position of 12th, but they'll need to lick their wounds from a recent 7-0 defeat and right the ship on Saturday against 16th placed Longridge Town in the day's evening kick off.
Despite being third bottom, Euxton Villa have quadruple the points total of the only two teams below them in the division at this stage. Still, eight points from a possible 39 makes for unpleasant viewing, but a win over 15th placed South Liverpool on the road this weekend would see them get into double figures for the season on points.
At least one of the bottom two in the division are guarenteed to add to their exisitng points totals this weekend. Second bottom AFC Liverpool will welcome bottom side Abbey Hey to the Berry Street Garage Stadium as both teams eagerly seek their first wins of the season.
First Division North
Another full house of fixtures from the North is headlined by the fact that just a point seperates the top two. Leaders Maghull will be on the road to the Ginge Power Stadium to face 13th placed Daisy Hill, knowing victory would keep them top whilst still having two games in hand on second place.
However, current silver medliasts Cammell Laird 1907 have had a breif taste of being top of the tree within the last two weeks, and they will want more. Their way to get more would be by hoping for a favour from Daisy Hill, and by seeing off 14th placed Holker Old Boys.
Fiixton are the current bronze medlaists in the division, and they won't be able to catch either of the top two in a single bound on Saturday. They might, however, create some speeration between themsevles and the rest of the chasing pack, should they win at home to eighth placed Ashville.
Thornton Cleveleys have forced their way into a strong position in thestandings frm their first 15 matches, currenyly sitting fourth with a two-point berth on the three sides directly below them. That points total could, however, be entirely wiped away by their visit to the home of sixth placed Halewood Apollo on Saturday, with the hosts currently outside the top five on goal difference alone.
The team keeping Apollo outside the play-off spots right now are Fulwood Amateurs. Their goal difference is also superior to Cleveleys direclty above them, which will provide Fulwood with extra inspiration ahead of their away trip to 12th placed Bacup Borough on Saturday - win, and better Cleveleys' result, and they will go fourth.
Lose, though, and they might fall behind the rest of their play-off chasing compatriots. Apollo are right behind them, but so are seventh placed Darwen FC, who complete a hat-trick of away games this weekend for teams on 28 points as they visit 11th placed Ashton Town.
Colne, currently 9th, will reutrn to the incredibly-named DM Pies Stadium on Saturday after an away draw ladt tie out. They will hope to keep alive their outside chance of breaking into the top five as they welcome 15th placed Ashton Athletic.
Despite one side being 16th in the table and the other being 10th, the meeting between Steeton and Woolton at the former's Marley Stadium could see the points total seperating the two sides in the standings to just a point.
It finally happened last week - bottom side Uppermill recorded their first league win of the season, and cut the points total between themselves and second bottom to just a point. A second win on the spin against 17th placed Squires Gate this weekend would see them climb from the foot of the division for the first time since the opening weeks of the campaign.
Another points difference that might be completely erased by this weekend's fixtures is that seperating third bottom Garstang from fifth bottom AFC Knowsley. The two sides meet at the latter's Lord Derby Pavilion on Saturday, with three points and two spots currently keeping the hosts out of the drop zone.
In even more peril of dropping into the bottom three this weekend are fourth bottom Maine Road, who have just a two-point cushion keeping them above the dotted line at this tage. That might be increased on Saturday, should they overcome second-bottom AFC Blackpool on home soil.
First Division South
One final full house of fxitrues coming your way from the South, including leaders Sandbach United, who will be hoping to further increase their two-point lead over the chasing pack when they go on the road to battle second bottom Telford Town on Saturday.
Defeat might open the door for second placed Stafford Town to sneak into the top spot, although they must overcome a very stiff task if they'd like to acheive such a goal - an away win against fifth placed AFC Bridgnorth, who currently have a spotless home record in the league.
The right set of results may also see third placed Eccleshall ascend all the way to the top of the tree. Their goal difference is the best of any team in the division right now, and they canfurther develop their promotion push at home to eighth placed New Mills.
Behind Eccleshall on goal difference alone are Wolverhampton Casuals, who can also steamroll their way into first should they win and everyone above them lose or fail to win. They are also at home, with 13th placed Foley Meir visiting Brinsford Stadium.
On the doorstep of the top five are Bilston Town, who need rwo points more than Bridgnorth from the weekend's results to leapfrog their way into the play-offs. They will be on the road to the Ideal Building Systems Stadium, to go toe to toe with 11th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads.
Seventh placed Barnton, also within touching distance of the play-off spots, have a home fixture to look forward to this weekend as well. Fifth bottom Market Drayton Town will visit the Crwative Hut Stadium on Saturday.
A singlepoint seperates 12th from 17th in the division right now, with the side currently in 12th, Brereton Social, and the side currently in 17th, Shawbury United, set to battle at the former's Red Lion Ground on Saturday.
Right in the thick of this collection of teams are Crewe, who will host fellow new(ish) boys Dawley Town on Saturday, where victory would see the hosts move to within a point of the visitors in the standings.
Another side hoping for a further push towards mid-table from the lower half are 15th placed Wednesfield Community. A win for them on Saturday would also see them move to within a victory of their hosts, who are scheduled to be ninth placed, 20-point Allscott Heath.
Last weekend's one postponed game came from the home of bottom side Widnes Town, who were expected to be hosting third bottom Alsager Town. Instead, these to survivalists will go head to head on Saturday, but with the hosts/visitors roles reversed from last weekend's game that never was.
| Matchday Preview: Week 15 |
| Matchday Preview: Week 14 |
| Matchday Preview: Week 13 |
 | Week 9: Preview |
