October 2024 Player of the Month announced
Fri 8th November 2024 | League Awards | By Martin Fallon
The Winners of the Player of the Month Awards for October 2024 have been announced by the NWCFL.
PREMIER DIVISION
The North West Counties League Premier Division Player of the Month Award for October 2024 has gone to Liam Atkinson from Longridge Town.
Liam joined Longridge Town in the pre season, having been playing Sunday football previously. He was spotted by Manager Lee Ashcroft when Longridge hosted a Blackburn Sunday League Cup Semi Final, with Liam standing out. Ashcroft took the gamble in the summer and it has paid off handsomely!
He started the season with six goals in Longridge's opening 12 games, however he has really turned on the style in October, with eight goals including two hat-tricks, as well as four Man-of-the-Match awards from opposing clubs.
There was nothing to suggest the month would be that good in the first two games as Longridge beat Holker Old Boys on penalties in the Macron Cup after a 1-1 draw before losing 5-1 at home to Bury. We won't mention he saw a penalty saved against Bury! Liam hit an equaliser in the next game at Glossop North End, Longridge eventually denied all three points thanks to a stoppage time leveller in a 2-2 draw. Next up was a 3-1 home defeat to FC Isle of Man. Both of these games saw Liam pick up Man-of-the-Match from Longridge's opponents.
The fifth game of the month though saw Liam score a hat-trick in Longridge's 3-3 draw at Lower Breck. He left the field two minutes from time to a standing ovation from the visiting supporters. Next up was a trip to Charnock Richard, Longridge coming from 3-0 down to draw 4-4 with Liam netting a second hat-trick inside three days. It's not often a player scores two hat-tricks without being on the winning side in either game, but two more Man-of-the-Matches in these games made it four on the bounce for Liam.
The final game of the month saw Longridge travel to Clitheroe in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy and return with a 4-1 win and a place in the next round. Liam scored the second goal in this game to put his side back in front, and he was close to a third successive hat-trick as he struck the post twice in the second half!
Congratulations to Liam!
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
Maghull striker Darren Brannigan has been confirmed as the NWCFL's First Division North Player of the Month for October 2024.
Darren played 28 times for Ashton Athletic in the 2022/23 season before moving to Maghull where he helped them to promotion from the West Cheshire League, playing a large part with 47 goals last year and a double player of the year award for the club!
In October he has played in all seven games for Maghull scoring eight goals including a fantastic hat trick against Steeton and a brace in the thriller at Bacup Borough when Maghull were reduced to 9 men.
The first game of October for Darren came as he scored the winner in a 2-0 home win over Droylsden. It was the same scoreline against Skelmersdale United in the Macron Cup in the next game, Darren hitting the winner in this game also.
Next up was a trip to Steeton, where Alex again netted himself his first hat-trick of the season in a 6-1 win. He also picked up Man-of-the-Match in this game, which was Maghull's biggest win since returning to the NWCFL in the summer. He could do nothing as Ashton Town knocked Maghull out of the Edward Case Cup in the next game, the game ending in a 1-1 draw. Darren scored in the shootout but Ashton prevailed 7-6 on penalties.
A bonkers game was next at Bacup Borough, poor discipline letting down Maghull as they saw two players sent off and 7-2 down. Darren scored twice in the last ten minutes though for a 7-4 scoreline. He then added his eighth goal of the month as Maghull lost 4-2 at home to Atherton LR, with his last game of the month being a 2-1 home loss to Widnes in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
Congratulations to Darren on a fine month.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
It's a record breaker for the winner of the October 2024 Player of the Month Award for the First Division South as it once again to Matthew Hearsey of Stafford Town.
Matthew was the winner of this award in July/August and September. We have records of the Player of the Month going back to 2009 and there has never before been an outfield player win the award for three months running, so congratulations indeed Matthew on this achievement!
October saw Matthew play in all six games that Stafford played, finding the net in five of those games. In total in the month he scored eight goals to take his tally to 20 for the season in just 21 games played. He also picked up two more Man-of-the-Match awards to make it 11 for the season.
His first game of the month saw him open the scoring in Stafford's 3-0 win at home to Ashville, and he scored his sides third goal in their 3-0 win at Runcorn Town in a game where he picked up Man-of-the-Match. He repeated the feat three days later with his sides third in the 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Sporting Community, before perhaps his best performance of the season in Stafford's fourth game.
That saw him find the net FOUR times as Stafford blitzed past Allscott Heath 9-0. Once again he picked up Man-of-the-Match, which was remarkably the 11th time in 14 league games in which he had done so.
He then played in Stafford's 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Casuals in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, no goal this time in the 90 minutes although he did score in the penalty shoot out win for his side. The final game of the month did see him find the net once again though, hitting his 20th goal of the season in a 2-0 win.
Congratulations once again Matthew!
October 2024 Player of the Month announced
Fri 8th November 2024 | League Awards
By Martin Fallon
The Winners of the Player of the Month Awards for October 2024 have been announced by the NWCFL.
PREMIER DIVISION
The North West Counties League Premier Division Player of the Month Award for October 2024 has gone to Liam Atkinson from Longridge Town.
Liam joined Longridge Town in the pre season, having been playing Sunday football previously. He was spotted by Manager Lee Ashcroft when Longridge hosted a Blackburn Sunday League Cup Semi Final, with Liam standing out. Ashcroft took the gamble in the summer and it has paid off handsomely!
He started the season with six goals in Longridge's opening 12 games, however he has really turned on the style in October, with eight goals including two hat-tricks, as well as four Man-of-the-Match awards from opposing clubs.
There was nothing to suggest the month would be that good in the first two games as Longridge beat Holker Old Boys on penalties in the Macron Cup after a 1-1 draw before losing 5-1 at home to Bury. We won't mention he saw a penalty saved against Bury! Liam hit an equaliser in the next game at Glossop North End, Longridge eventually denied all three points thanks to a stoppage time leveller in a 2-2 draw. Next up was a 3-1 home defeat to FC Isle of Man. Both of these games saw Liam pick up Man-of-the-Match from Longridge's opponents.
The fifth game of the month though saw Liam score a hat-trick in Longridge's 3-3 draw at Lower Breck. He left the field two minutes from time to a standing ovation from the visiting supporters. Next up was a trip to Charnock Richard, Longridge coming from 3-0 down to draw 4-4 with Liam netting a second hat-trick inside three days. It's not often a player scores two hat-tricks without being on the winning side in either game, but two more Man-of-the-Matches in these games made it four on the bounce for Liam.
The final game of the month saw Longridge travel to Clitheroe in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy and return with a 4-1 win and a place in the next round. Liam scored the second goal in this game to put his side back in front, and he was close to a third successive hat-trick as he struck the post twice in the second half!
Congratulations to Liam!
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
Maghull striker Darren Brannigan has been confirmed as the NWCFL's First Division North Player of the Month for October 2024.
Darren played 28 times for Ashton Athletic in the 2022/23 season before moving to Maghull where he helped them to promotion from the West Cheshire League, playing a large part with 47 goals last year and a double player of the year award for the club!
In October he has played in all seven games for Maghull scoring eight goals including a fantastic hat trick against Steeton and a brace in the thriller at Bacup Borough when Maghull were reduced to 9 men.
The first game of October for Darren came as he scored the winner in a 2-0 home win over Droylsden. It was the same scoreline against Skelmersdale United in the Macron Cup in the next game, Darren hitting the winner in this game also.
Next up was a trip to Steeton, where Alex again netted himself his first hat-trick of the season in a 6-1 win. He also picked up Man-of-the-Match in this game, which was Maghull's biggest win since returning to the NWCFL in the summer. He could do nothing as Ashton Town knocked Maghull out of the Edward Case Cup in the next game, the game ending in a 1-1 draw. Darren scored in the shootout but Ashton prevailed 7-6 on penalties.
A bonkers game was next at Bacup Borough, poor discipline letting down Maghull as they saw two players sent off and 7-2 down. Darren scored twice in the last ten minutes though for a 7-4 scoreline. He then added his eighth goal of the month as Maghull lost 4-2 at home to Atherton LR, with his last game of the month being a 2-1 home loss to Widnes in the Liverpool Senior Cup.
Congratulations to Darren on a fine month.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
It's a record breaker for the winner of the October 2024 Player of the Month Award for the First Division South as it once again to Matthew Hearsey of Stafford Town.
Matthew was the winner of this award in July/August and September. We have records of the Player of the Month going back to 2009 and there has never before been an outfield player win the award for three months running, so congratulations indeed Matthew on this achievement!
October saw Matthew play in all six games that Stafford played, finding the net in five of those games. In total in the month he scored eight goals to take his tally to 20 for the season in just 21 games played. He also picked up two more Man-of-the-Match awards to make it 11 for the season.
His first game of the month saw him open the scoring in Stafford's 3-0 win at home to Ashville, and he scored his sides third goal in their 3-0 win at Runcorn Town in a game where he picked up Man-of-the-Match. He repeated the feat three days later with his sides third in the 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Sporting Community, before perhaps his best performance of the season in Stafford's fourth game.
That saw him find the net FOUR times as Stafford blitzed past Allscott Heath 9-0. Once again he picked up Man-of-the-Match, which was remarkably the 11th time in 14 league games in which he had done so.
He then played in Stafford's 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Casuals in the Staffordshire Senior Cup, no goal this time in the 90 minutes although he did score in the penalty shoot out win for his side. The final game of the month did see him find the net once again though, hitting his 20th goal of the season in a 2-0 win.
Congratulations once again Matthew!
