Matchday 1: Review

Mon 29th July 2024 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper

We are SO back!

It's been a long wait for the start of the new NWCFL campaign, but the first weekend of the season certainly did not disappoint in terms of action on the pitch.

Let's start at the top with the Premier Division, where Colne and AFC Liverpool got the new season underway at the formers' Haffners Stadium on friday night. Goals from Caleb Jones and Elliot Taylor either side of a Carlos Dos Santos equaliser were enough to see AFC Liverpool come out on top in the curtain raiser.

Moving into Saturday, there was plenty to get your teeth into from all 3 divisions.

Premier Division:

• Arguably the game of the weekend happened at Squires Gate, who played host to Bury FC to begin the season. A Dean Ing hat-trick for the home side helped them very much keep pace with the Shakers in a game that finished 4-4.
• Barnoldswick Town were forced to stage a head-turning comeback after reaching the 80-minute mark 3-0 down to Lower Breck on home soil. A Gareth Hill brace either side of an Andrew Hill screamer were enough to earn Barlick a draw, at 3-3.
• FC St Helens marked their NWCFL Premier Division debut with a whitewashing of fellow newly promoted side Abbey Hey, beating them 3-0.
• West Didsbury and Chorlton were singing from the same hymn sheet as FC St Helens, defeating Glossop North End 3-0 at home, featuring a brace by Jordan Lazenbury.
• 3 matches also finished 2-2: Padiham VS Litherland REMYCA; Pilkington VS Ramsbottom United; and the late kick off between FC Isle of Man and Chadderton.

• Other scores:
• Cheadle Town 2-1 Prestwich Heys
• Irlam 1-2 Stockport Town
• Longridge Town 1-0 Burscough
• South Liverpool 0-0 Charnock Richard

First Division North:

• Bacup Borough couldn't have dreamt of a better start to the new season. The reigning Edward Case Cup Champions smashed Ashton Athletic 5-0, with Toby Wright bagging a brace in the process.
• New boys Maghull found themselves in a serious battle for all 3 points in their opening game, roaring back from being 2-0 down at half time against Darwen FC to win 3-2.
• Maine Road made a comfortable start to proceedings in a home game against Steeton, with Yousif, Kirongozi and Bishop all contributing in a 3-0 win.
• Another new side to the league, Thornton Cleveleys, left themselves with too much to do in their berth against Nelson. They came back from 1-0 down, but couldn't come back from 3-1 down, with the game finishing 3-2; Jordan Scott's goal for Nelson proving the difference in the end.

• Other scores:
• Ashton Town 1-2 AFC Blackpool
• Droylsden 2-1 Euxton Villa
• Holker Old Boys 1-1 Daisy Hill
• Route One Rovers 0-2 Garstang
• Skelmersdale United 1-2 Atherton LR

First Division South:

• More new arrival drama! Allscott Heath and Abbey Hulton United played out a barnburner at The Giant Stadium. Harry Morris scored twice for the hosts as they eventually won 4-3, but a 92nd minute goal from Abbey Hulton's Lewis Holdham was enough to throw the cat amongst the pigeons right towards the end of the game.
• Bizarrely, there was another 4-3 result involving another new team. Unfortunately for Wolverhampton Sporting Community, they would be on the wrong side of this one. Barnton's Lee Turkington bagged 2 in a hard-fought win for Danny Moss' side at The Creative Hut Stadium.
• There were braces galore on the opening day, and another one came from the match between Runcorn Town and New Mills. It would be the away side's Harry Dean who put two away to create daylight between his team and their hosts in a 3-1 victory.
• Stockport Georgians and Eccleshall would share the points in a 2-2 draw that seemingly saw both sides go move for move. Georgians led twice in this encounter, but never held the lead for more than 4 minutes at a time.
• Winsford United looked to have made the best possible start to the season when they led after 4 minutes at home to Alsager Town, but the away side would mount a comeback and eventually see off their hosts in a 3-1 victory.

• Other scores:
• Ashville 1-0 Market Drayton Town
• Cheadle Heath Nomads 2-0 Shawbury United
• Foley Meir 1-2 Cammell Laird 1907
• Sandbach United 1-1 Stafford Town