Gameweek 23: Review

Tue 31st December 2024 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper

With the final weekend of 2024, there was another round of games from all 3 divisions of the NWCFL. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.

Premier Division:

• South Liverpool treated their fans to briefly one of the worst ways to end the year, before flipping that into being one of the best! 2-0 down to Colne after less than half an hour away from home, an astonishing comeback saw South turn the game on its head and bag a goal in the 96^th minute to win 3-2.
• Elsewhere to do with Merseyside outfits, AFC Liverpool would be much more comfortable in their lead as the full-time whistle went in their own game. AFC were level pegging with Glossop North End at half time but had run away with the result by the end, winning 4-1.
• Bottom side Prestwich Heys had an almighty task on their hands last Saturday, travelling to local rivals high-flying Bury. Heys took a surprising lead, but conceded twice in the first half, and thrice more in the second period, to eventually lose the game 5-2.
• Chadderton have had a torrid two weeks around Christmas. Their title hopes have taken a serious kicking from defeats by both Bury and Abbey Hey over the last fortnight, but West Didsbury and Chorlton really tried to hammer the nails into the coffin, battering Chaddy 6-1 on Saturday.
• Fans of FC Isle of Man had almost exactly the same experience in their evening match against FC St Helens as South Liverpool did. After initially going behind to their mainland-based guests, the score was 202 in added time when Stephen Whitley popped up to secure a 302 win and maximum points for the Ravens.
• Longridge Town’s Liam Atkinson and Irlam’s Jack Mitchell went toe-to-toe and goal-for-goal as the two sides met in league action last weekend, both scoring braces, but a third Irlam goal via John Johnston would be the difference maker in a 3-2 win for the away side.
• Padiham wasted little time getting off the mark in their hosting of Stockport Town, grabbing the opening goal within the first minute of the match, and despite a goal midway through the first half for the visitors, Padiham’s lead never really looked in danger as they ran out 3-1 winners.
• Pilkington had lost their last four matches in all competitions going into their weekend hosting of Litherland REMYCA, but showed heart and fight after twice going behind to their visitors. Ryan Beigan and Freddy Garbutt scored to ensure a point in a 2-2 draw.

Other scores:

• Barnoldswick Town 1-1 Burscough
• Cheadle Town 0-1 Abbey Hey
• Ramsbottom United 2-1 Squires Gate

First Division North:

• A pattern of late goals emerged on Saturday, and another beneficiary of these late heroics were Euxton Villa. Despite being unable to bag all three points in their home game against Ashton Athletic, goals in the 89^th and 96^th minutes were enough to help Matty Atherton’s side secure a 4-4 draw, which must have felt like a win.
• There was another late goal in the match between Garstang and Droylsden, but the result was academic by the time Garstang’s Dan Squires found the net. Visiting Droylsden had already put their hosts to the sword, and eventually won 3-1.
• For an hour of the clash between Maine Road and Thornton Cleveleys, the game could have swung in either direction, but when it finally did fall the way of the former, Road didn’t let go of it. A busy final 30 minutes saw the host strike on four occasions without reply to win 4-0.
• Late goals, late goals, and MORE late goals! Nelson took a 2-0 lead into the final minutes of their away day at Route One Rovers, before Jack Doherty and Jamie Edwards both bagged in injury time to extend their lead. The eventual score was 4-0.
• With both Thornton Cleveleys and Route One Rovers losing 4-0, Ashton Town had a fantastic opportunity to pull themselves much further away from the relegation zone than they were when they started the day. They did just that, blasting past Skelmersdale United on away soil to win 3-0.

Other scores:

• AFC Blackpool 1-1 Steeton
• Daisy Hill 2-1 Maghull
• Darwen FC 1-0 Bacup Borough
• Holker Old Boys P-P Atherton LR

First Division South:

• Don’t worry, the First Division South didn’t forget to include a few late winners on Saturday! Let’s begin at Barnton, where, for the longest time in their meeting with Cheadle Heath Nomads, the scoreline was 1-1. Right up until the 97^th minute of play when Nomads bagged a winner through Harrison Cunningham to come away as 2-1 victors.
• Shawbury United continue to prop up the table in the First Division South, and Saturday did them no favours on that front despite the fact that they proved that they will play to the whistle, scoring in the 96^th minute away at Eccleshall. Unfortunately for them, Eccleshall had already peeled away to eventually win 3-1.
• Market Drayton Town began the calendar year for 2024 by embarking on a losing streak that eventually saw them finish bottom, and they’ll hope to avoid history repeating itself in 2025. But they’ll certainly want to forget Saturday’s game, as Abbey Hulton United had them on toast to win by an astonishing scoreline of 9-0.
• The trend of goals after the 90^th minute doesn’t stop with this next fixture, as Winsford United, on their travels to New Mills, secured a second goal of the day with the clock showing 95 having been played. This goal wasn’t a winner, but was a cherry on the cake for United, who overcame their hosts 2-0.
• What’s this? A game without goals you’d have missed if you decided to try and beat the traffic? Fancy that! Yes, in Runcorn Town’s back-and-forth encounter with Allscott Heath, there was instead a goal each within the first 10 minutes of the game, and another each just before the break and with just less than 20 to go, respectively. The game ended 2-2.
• Even earlier than those opening goals at Runcorn was Foley Meir’s opening strike upon their visit to Wolves Sporting. In a battle of two sides fighting not to drop straight of the league after promotion last season, Foley were the better side on the day, running amok at Pride park and coming away with a 4-0 victory.

Other scores:

• Alsager Town 1-1 Ashville
• Cammell Laird 1907 1-2 Sandbach United
• Stockport Georgians 1-1 Stafford Town