Five Things We Learned 2023/24 - Gameweek 20
Thu 14th December 2023 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
1. Clubs, Players, and GKs of the Month for Nov.
The monthly awards for clubs, players and GKs are generally awarded when a league representative can get to games to make the presentation. However, with games being postponed left and right for the last month, to make the announcements in bulk seems like a good way to give the winners their plaudits. Let's start with the Clubs of the Month, which were as follows: 6th placed Wythenshawe Town from the Premier Division; 3rd placed Atherton LR from the First Division North; and 3rd placed Sandbach United from the First Division South.
As for the individual awards, the Players of the Month included Yacin Amarzou of Prem bottom side Skelmersdale United; and both clubs of the month having a player seal the award in the First Divisions North and South - Atherton LR's Lewis Rawsthorn and Sandbach's Joshua Oultram. Finally, for the GKs, Cheadle Town's Jordan Latham picked up the award for the Prem; Bacup Borough's Mason Walker won in the North; and Alsager Town's Jacob Kirwan earned his flowers from the South.
2. Charnock Rich with Vase confidence
This weekend was meant to see 5 NWCFL teams take to the field in Isuzu FA Vase action. Unfortunately, due to our old friend the weather, only 2 NWCFL teams were able to fulfil their duties. One of those was West Didsbury and Chorlton, and the less said about the final score of their away trip to Emley, the better.
As for the other side in action, that would be Charnock Richard. Ryan Donnellan's side travelled to Carlisle City for a 3rd round clash, and it would be one that I can only imagine was followed by a joyous journey home. A Rustam Stepans hat-trick, as well as an exclamation point from Jacob Ridings saw Charnock come away with a 4-0 victory and confirm their place in the hat for round 4.
3. Burscough and FC isle of Man are weather immune, apparently
A week ago on Saturday, I made a mention of the fact that only 2 games were able to take place in the Premier Division despite the best efforts of Mother Nature - one of them was at Burscough's Community Ground, and the other was at FC isle of Man's The Bowl. Both teams also lost that day, too.
Well, 7 days later, and, once again only 2 games from the Premier Division are able to take place - one at Burscough's Community Ground, and the other at FC Isle of Man's The Bowl. Even better for the former was the fact that they managed to win this one, too, defeating Padiham 1-0. Unfortunately for the latter, FC Isle of Man again stumbled to defeat, this time against Barnoldswick Town.
4. At least Tuesday had more to show for it
There were 8 league games pegged for last Saturday in the Prem, and only 2 took place. There were 7 games pegged for Tuesday night in the Prem, and 3 of those took place - we're slowly getting there. In midweek, Burscough were again in action, this time away from home, and they battered AFC Liverpool 5-0 in a defiant performance.
Other games included home defeats for both Cheadle Town and Squires Gate, who fell 2-1 to Padiham (another of the very few sides who played in the Prem at the weekend) and 4-2 to Kendal Town, respectively. It's great to see that, despite how bad conditions can be, we still have at least some games to report on, but it will eventually make for a very tight end to the season with all the current and future rearranged games needing to take place by mid-April.
5. Baby steps in the South
The previous weekend before last was dreadful for fixtures, with Saturday in particular seeing all games from the First Divisions North and South called off due to the weather. We fared slightly better in the South this past weekend, with 3 of 8 games managing to get the go ahead, and they brought over 4 goals a game on average with them.
Barnton beat Stafford Town 2-0 in the weekend's least eventful encounter; league leaders Brocton battered Abbey Hulton United 5-0 at home in a match that saw Morgan Payne bag a hat-trick; and Alsager Town and Abbey Hey placed out an incredible first half that saw them score 3 goals each, before a goalless second half. It's certainly a million times better than no games at all to tell you about.
Five Things We Learned 2023/24 - Gameweek 20
Thu 14th December 2023 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
1. Clubs, Players, and GKs of the Month for Nov.
The monthly awards for clubs, players and GKs are generally awarded when a league representative can get to games to make the presentation. However, with games being postponed left and right for the last month, to make the announcements in bulk seems like a good way to give the winners their plaudits. Let's start with the Clubs of the Month, which were as follows: 6th placed Wythenshawe Town from the Premier Division; 3rd placed Atherton LR from the First Division North; and 3rd placed Sandbach United from the First Division South.
As for the individual awards, the Players of the Month included Yacin Amarzou of Prem bottom side Skelmersdale United; and both clubs of the month having a player seal the award in the First Divisions North and South - Atherton LR's Lewis Rawsthorn and Sandbach's Joshua Oultram. Finally, for the GKs, Cheadle Town's Jordan Latham picked up the award for the Prem; Bacup Borough's Mason Walker won in the North; and Alsager Town's Jacob Kirwan earned his flowers from the South.
2. Charnock Rich with Vase confidence
This weekend was meant to see 5 NWCFL teams take to the field in Isuzu FA Vase action. Unfortunately, due to our old friend the weather, only 2 NWCFL teams were able to fulfil their duties. One of those was West Didsbury and Chorlton, and the less said about the final score of their away trip to Emley, the better.
As for the other side in action, that would be Charnock Richard. Ryan Donnellan's side travelled to Carlisle City for a 3rd round clash, and it would be one that I can only imagine was followed by a joyous journey home. A Rustam Stepans hat-trick, as well as an exclamation point from Jacob Ridings saw Charnock come away with a 4-0 victory and confirm their place in the hat for round 4.
3. Burscough and FC isle of Man are weather immune, apparently
A week ago on Saturday, I made a mention of the fact that only 2 games were able to take place in the Premier Division despite the best efforts of Mother Nature - one of them was at Burscough's Community Ground, and the other was at FC isle of Man's The Bowl. Both teams also lost that day, too.
Well, 7 days later, and, once again only 2 games from the Premier Division are able to take place - one at Burscough's Community Ground, and the other at FC Isle of Man's The Bowl. Even better for the former was the fact that they managed to win this one, too, defeating Padiham 1-0. Unfortunately for the latter, FC Isle of Man again stumbled to defeat, this time against Barnoldswick Town.
4. At least Tuesday had more to show for it
There were 8 league games pegged for last Saturday in the Prem, and only 2 took place. There were 7 games pegged for Tuesday night in the Prem, and 3 of those took place - we're slowly getting there. In midweek, Burscough were again in action, this time away from home, and they battered AFC Liverpool 5-0 in a defiant performance.
Other games included home defeats for both Cheadle Town and Squires Gate, who fell 2-1 to Padiham (another of the very few sides who played in the Prem at the weekend) and 4-2 to Kendal Town, respectively. It's great to see that, despite how bad conditions can be, we still have at least some games to report on, but it will eventually make for a very tight end to the season with all the current and future rearranged games needing to take place by mid-April.
5. Baby steps in the South
The previous weekend before last was dreadful for fixtures, with Saturday in particular seeing all games from the First Divisions North and South called off due to the weather. We fared slightly better in the South this past weekend, with 3 of 8 games managing to get the go ahead, and they brought over 4 goals a game on average with them.
Barnton beat Stafford Town 2-0 in the weekend's least eventful encounter; league leaders Brocton battered Abbey Hulton United 5-0 at home in a match that saw Morgan Payne bag a hat-trick; and Alsager Town and Abbey Hey placed out an incredible first half that saw them score 3 goals each, before a goalless second half. It's certainly a million times better than no games at all to tell you about.
