Gameweek 11: Preview
Fri 4th October 2024 | Match Previews | By Ben Wilkinson
After Macron Cup action during the week, the bread and butter of the league returns this weekend with every club bar two playing either tonight or tomorrow...
FRIDAY 4TH OCTOBER
Three games tonight to kick off the weekend... Chadderton take their now usual Friday night slot at Avro's Vestacare Stadium and welcome Charnock Richard. Both clubs lost during the week so will be looking to get back on track at the first opportunity. It's the Ashton derby in the First Division North with Town hosting Athletic. Athletic won the reverse fixture 3-0 in August and would happily take the same result this time round as they aim to break into the play-off positions. Finally, Garstang dust themselves off after a 10-1 drubbing during the week and they visit Daisy Hill with aims of picking up just their third league win of the season.
SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER
The remaining 22 Premier Division clubs all play on Saturday, and it's the late kick off that sticks out - 5th placed FC Isle of Man host league leaders Ramsbottom United. The Ravens are in great form heading into the game, picking up 5 wins from their last 6 fixtures, the first of those wins being away at Rammy when they became the first and to date only side to leave the HWRS with 3 points this season.
Back on the mainland, Bury travel to Longridge Town in what is sure to be a cracking game. The 27 league fixtures so far this season involving either of these sides have produced a colossal 113 goals! The Shakers are currently on an astonishing 19 game unbeaten run in all competitions and won the equivalent fixture 2-1 last term. Lower Breck have also had an impressive start, their only league defeat coming at the hands of table topping Ramsbottom. and they travel to Adie Moran Park to face off against a Prestwich Heys side who have won only 7 points from their 16 league games this season. Heys did the double over Breck last season and haven't lost at home to the Anfield-based club since 2019 so will be looking to extend that run on Saturday afternoon.
Rounding out the Premier Division picks is an interesting match-up at the Step Places Stadium where West Didsbury & Chorlton welcome Barnoldswick Town. The pair have played the joint-fewest number of league games this season thanks to good runs in the FA Cup and find themselves in 15th and 18th position respectively, although both will surely be aiming to progress higher up the table as they clear their early fixture backlog. Away from the cups, West are in decent form while Barlick have struggled for consistency.
In the First Division North, the leading pack all play away from home. Atherton LR are currently at the summit and they make the journey east to take on strugglers Route One Rovers. The two clubs met for the first time last season with LR taking 6 points from the clashes. Just one goal behind them are Holker Old Boys, who visit the Community Stadium to play basement club Skelmersdale United for the first time in the league since 1998! Skem are the only side within the NWCFL who are yet to taste three points this season and they face a tough task against Holker who are desperate to win promotion for the first time in 31 years!
Nelson are breathing down the necks of the above duo, being just a point further back and they have a local derby against Bacup Borough this weekend. Boro have been very Jekyll and Hyde this year, winning their first four games without conceding a goal before going on a lengthy run without a win. Their game during the week was abandoned at half time while Nelson pulled off an impressive 8-1 win against Squires Gate in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy.
It's bottom vs top in the First Division South this weekend with Runcorn Town hoping to upset Stafford Town at the Viridor Community Stadium. Stafford have won 11 of their 13 league games, including all of their last nine, while Runcorn had been enjoying a renaissance before going down 5-4 away at Barnton last weekend before losing on penalties against the same opposition in the Edward Case Cup on Wednesday. It's a day of opposites as the worst attack goes up against the best defence at Shawbury United. They have scored 17 goals in their 16 league games while Saturday's visitors New Mills have only conceded 8 in their 13 and already have 6 clean sheets to their name.
THE WEEK AHEAD...
There are fixtures every day during the next week as the First Round of the Edward Case Cup makes a welcome appearance, alongside ten Premier Division clashes, some rearranged Macron Cup ties and a County Cup match thrown in for good measure. There are five cup ties on Monday evening to kick off the week's entertainment. Bacup Borough travel to Maine Road having won the past two editions of this competition and therefore have not tasted defeat in this cup since a 6-1 defeat to St Helens Town way back in February 2022!
Tuesday night sees the bulk of the action as 18 fixtures are set to take place. One of last season's losing semi-finalists Droylsden start their Edward Case Cup campaign with a home tie against AFC Blackpool while Allscott Heath make their NWCFL cup debut at home to Sandbach United. In the Macron Cup there's a local derby between Skelmersdale United and Maghull, alongside Litherland REMYCA's trip to FC St Helens. In the Premier Division, Charnock Richard welcome Prestwich Heys to Mossie Park while Glossop North End travel to Bury. Just one County Cup tie during the week and it's in the Derbyshire Senior Cup where New Mills host South Normanton Athletic of the Central Midlands Alliance League Premier Division South (Step 7). The visitors are in fantastic form having won all 8 of the league games so far and they will relish the clash against the Millers.
Two more Premier Division fixtures on Wednesday and one on Thursday round out this week's preview, with South Liverpool v Pilkington looking like an early relegation six-pointer at Jericho Lane on Wednesday.
Gameweek 11: Preview
Fri 4th October 2024 | Match Previews
By Ben Wilkinson
After Macron Cup action during the week, the bread and butter of the league returns this weekend with every club bar two playing either tonight or tomorrow...
FRIDAY 4TH OCTOBER
Three games tonight to kick off the weekend... Chadderton take their now usual Friday night slot at Avro's Vestacare Stadium and welcome Charnock Richard. Both clubs lost during the week so will be looking to get back on track at the first opportunity. It's the Ashton derby in the First Division North with Town hosting Athletic. Athletic won the reverse fixture 3-0 in August and would happily take the same result this time round as they aim to break into the play-off positions. Finally, Garstang dust themselves off after a 10-1 drubbing during the week and they visit Daisy Hill with aims of picking up just their third league win of the season.
SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER
The remaining 22 Premier Division clubs all play on Saturday, and it's the late kick off that sticks out - 5th placed FC Isle of Man host league leaders Ramsbottom United. The Ravens are in great form heading into the game, picking up 5 wins from their last 6 fixtures, the first of those wins being away at Rammy when they became the first and to date only side to leave the HWRS with 3 points this season.
Back on the mainland, Bury travel to Longridge Town in what is sure to be a cracking game. The 27 league fixtures so far this season involving either of these sides have produced a colossal 113 goals! The Shakers are currently on an astonishing 19 game unbeaten run in all competitions and won the equivalent fixture 2-1 last term. Lower Breck have also had an impressive start, their only league defeat coming at the hands of table topping Ramsbottom. and they travel to Adie Moran Park to face off against a Prestwich Heys side who have won only 7 points from their 16 league games this season. Heys did the double over Breck last season and haven't lost at home to the Anfield-based club since 2019 so will be looking to extend that run on Saturday afternoon.
Rounding out the Premier Division picks is an interesting match-up at the Step Places Stadium where West Didsbury & Chorlton welcome Barnoldswick Town. The pair have played the joint-fewest number of league games this season thanks to good runs in the FA Cup and find themselves in 15th and 18th position respectively, although both will surely be aiming to progress higher up the table as they clear their early fixture backlog. Away from the cups, West are in decent form while Barlick have struggled for consistency.
In the First Division North, the leading pack all play away from home. Atherton LR are currently at the summit and they make the journey east to take on strugglers Route One Rovers. The two clubs met for the first time last season with LR taking 6 points from the clashes. Just one goal behind them are Holker Old Boys, who visit the Community Stadium to play basement club Skelmersdale United for the first time in the league since 1998! Skem are the only side within the NWCFL who are yet to taste three points this season and they face a tough task against Holker who are desperate to win promotion for the first time in 31 years!
Nelson are breathing down the necks of the above duo, being just a point further back and they have a local derby against Bacup Borough this weekend. Boro have been very Jekyll and Hyde this year, winning their first four games without conceding a goal before going on a lengthy run without a win. Their game during the week was abandoned at half time while Nelson pulled off an impressive 8-1 win against Squires Gate in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy.
It's bottom vs top in the First Division South this weekend with Runcorn Town hoping to upset Stafford Town at the Viridor Community Stadium. Stafford have won 11 of their 13 league games, including all of their last nine, while Runcorn had been enjoying a renaissance before going down 5-4 away at Barnton last weekend before losing on penalties against the same opposition in the Edward Case Cup on Wednesday. It's a day of opposites as the worst attack goes up against the best defence at Shawbury United. They have scored 17 goals in their 16 league games while Saturday's visitors New Mills have only conceded 8 in their 13 and already have 6 clean sheets to their name.
THE WEEK AHEAD...
There are fixtures every day during the next week as the First Round of the Edward Case Cup makes a welcome appearance, alongside ten Premier Division clashes, some rearranged Macron Cup ties and a County Cup match thrown in for good measure. There are five cup ties on Monday evening to kick off the week's entertainment. Bacup Borough travel to Maine Road having won the past two editions of this competition and therefore have not tasted defeat in this cup since a 6-1 defeat to St Helens Town way back in February 2022!
Tuesday night sees the bulk of the action as 18 fixtures are set to take place. One of last season's losing semi-finalists Droylsden start their Edward Case Cup campaign with a home tie against AFC Blackpool while Allscott Heath make their NWCFL cup debut at home to Sandbach United. In the Macron Cup there's a local derby between Skelmersdale United and Maghull, alongside Litherland REMYCA's trip to FC St Helens. In the Premier Division, Charnock Richard welcome Prestwich Heys to Mossie Park while Glossop North End travel to Bury. Just one County Cup tie during the week and it's in the Derbyshire Senior Cup where New Mills host South Normanton Athletic of the Central Midlands Alliance League Premier Division South (Step 7). The visitors are in fantastic form having won all 8 of the league games so far and they will relish the clash against the Millers.
Two more Premier Division fixtures on Wednesday and one on Thursday round out this week's preview, with South Liverpool v Pilkington looking like an early relegation six-pointer at Jericho Lane on Wednesday.
