Matchday 7: Review

Tue 3rd September 2024 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper

Another weekend, another round of games coming from all 3 divisions of the NWCFL, and the Emirates FA Cup. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.

Emirates FA Cup:

• Tanaka Cherera kept up his fantastic start of the season by helping his Bury FC side to a 2-0 victory over Garforth Town away from home. He and Lewis Alessandra kept the Shakers in the FA Cup.
• Barnoldswick Town had the difficult task of holding off higher-division Lancaster City away from home. Steve Pickup’s side managed just that, forcing a replay after a 0-0 draw.
• West Didsbury and Chorlton were involved in the highest-scoring FA Cup match involving an NWCFL side this weekend. They played host to Silsden and won 4-2, with four different players getting goals.

Premier Division:

• Bottom of the table Litherland REMYCA bagged their first league win of the season away at Abbey Hey. James Hammill was a hat-trick hero in their 3-1 victory.
• AFC Liverpool’s Elliot Taylor was their main man in their clean sheet victory on the road against Cheadle Town. He bagged two in their 3-0 win.
• FC St Helens proved their dominance at home with the visit of Stockport Town. FC proved to be the better of the two newly promoted sides, smashing Town 4-1.
• Another player who bagged a brace at the weekend was Takura Sambizi, of Irlam. Pilkington were the visitors to the RG3 Digital Stadium, and they were beaten 3-1.
• In a game of two halves, Longridge Town turned the tables at home against Ramsbottom United. After being 1-0 down at half time, they roared back to claim a 3-1 win in the second half.

Other scores:

• Friday:
  
  • Chadderton 0-0 Lower Breck
• Saturday:
  
  • Burscough 0-1 Glossop North End
  • Colne 1-1 FC Isle of Man
  • South Liverpool 1-1 Padiham
  • Squires Gate 0-1 Prestwich Heys

First Division North:

• Ashton Athletic made amends for their 5-1 defeat to Droylsden in manager Jay Foulds’ 500^th game, by being on the right side of a 5-1 result on Saturday. Daisy Hill were the unfortunate victims.
• Speaking of Droylsden, their goalscoring exploits continued in their home match against bottom side Skelmersdale United. The hosts pitched a 3-0 shutout.
• Euxton Villa were another side, like West in the FA Cup, who had four different goalscorers in their win over AFC Blackpool. They came back from 1-0 down to win 4-1.
• Bacup Borough are continuing to slip after their incredible momentum with which they started the season has dried up. They fell 3-1 away to Holker Old Boys, with Tom Dawson bagging a brace for the hosts.
• Early title contenders Nelson proved why they’re amongst the top few in the table after the opening few weeks. They travelled to Maine Road on Saturday, and returned home with maximum points after a 3-1 win.
• The comebacks keep on coming. In Route One Rovers home tie against Ashton Town, Route One took the lead in the 6^th minute, but were pegged back almost immediately, and eventually lost 3-1.

Other scores:

• Atherton LR 1-0 Steeton
• Darwen FC 1-0 Garstang
• Maghull 0-2 Thornton Cleveleys

First Division South:

• Abbey Hulton United proved to be far too much for Sandbach United on Saturday, despite the latter taking the lead in the match. Lewis Holdham bagged two of his side’s goals in a 5-1 rout.
• Cheadle Heath Nomads were fans of the final five minutes at the weekend, in both halves of their trip to Foley Meir. One goal just before the break and two more just before full time secured a 3-1 win.
• Will Shawcross was the man of the hour for New Mills, whose unbeaten streak continued into its 9^th match. They faced Wolves Sporting at home, and beat them 3-0.
• One of the tighter affairs of the weekend took place at Stafford Town’s Evans Park, where Barnton were the visitors. A back-and-forth affair saw Stafford lead three separate times, and eventually win the game 3-2.
• Winsford United got back on the right track on Saturday with the visit of Market Drayton Town. After losing their first match in seven to Eccleshall last Monday, they swept MDT aside in a 4-1 victory.

Other scores:

• Allscott Heath 1-0 Runcorn Town
• Alsager Town 0-1 Shawbury United
• Cammell Laird 1907 0-0 Eccleshall
• Stockport Georgians 1-2 Ashville