After all of the trials and tribulations of cup fixtures for some clubs over the past week, the next seven days are handed over to the relative normality of the league campaign. 52 of the 60 clubs look to put some more points on the board as we head closer to the season's conclusion.
PREMIER DIVISION
Just one Friday night fixture to kick off the week as Chadderton look to rescue their season with a home fixture against Burscough, at Avro's Whitebank Stadium. A run of only one league win in seven has seen Chaddy slip down to 4th in the standings, looking over their shoulder at the sides below them. Avoiding defeat this evening would secure their top five position for another few days but the home side will be looking to get back to winning ways against a Burscough side who don't look to be troubling either end of the table this term.
Onto Saturday and it's the rest of the division's turn to take to the pitch. Cheadle Town host South Liverpool in a 2pm kick off at the Ground Up Solutions Stadium while Glossop North End and FC Isle of Man kick off at the same time at GNE's Asgard Engineering Stadium. The pick of the week once again involves Bury as the Shakers make the short trip to Adie Moran Park to come up against an in-form Prestwich Heys. Heys looked doomed not too long ago but have picked up some impressive results in recent weeks, a 2-1 win at West Didsbury & Chorlton on Tuesday evening last time out lifting them out of the relegation zone. Bury put a shock 4-0 reverse at West behind them swiftly, winning all four league games since to put them in pole position to secure promotion at the third attempt; the Gigg Lane outfit now sit pretty four points clear at the NWCFL summit.
Squires Gate are on a torrid run of form at the moment; Tuesday's 2-2 draw at home to AFC Liverpool was the first point they have picked up in SIXTEEN attempts! This run has seen Gate slip to the foot of the table and they face a trip to Stockport Sports Village to play 12th-placed Stockport Town on Saturday afternoon. With just ten games to go, the Blackpool-based club will need to start picking up the points if they are to avoid the drop after 23 years in the Premier Division. Also embroiled in the relegation dogfight are Colne, who play Lower Breck twice in four days this week in a pair of games that will be huge at both ends of the table. The Anfield club host Saturday's clash with the two sides going head-to-head again in East Lancashire on Tuesday. Breck have just one blemish on their record since mid-November while Colne have picked up 11 points from their last seven games as they stake their claim to remain in the division.
Also playing twice this week are Ramsbottom United, who have been unseated as league leaders after dropping points in three of their last six games, letting a 2-0 lead slip against Longridge Town last time out. They travel to AFC Liverpool on Saturday before a crunch clash against promotion rivals Chadderton at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night. The Rams will need to pick up maximum points if they are to have any chance of returning to pole position this week ahead of their Macron Cup quarter final next Saturday.
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
Atherton LR suffered heartbreak in the FA Vase last weekend as they succumbed to Bourne Town on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Crilly Park, before quickly brushing that off with a 4-0 win away at Cheadle Heath Nomads in the Edward Case Cup on Monday night. They will need more of the same upon their return to league action on Saturday when they make the trip north to Thornton Cleveleys' Gamble Road home. LR narrowly won the return fixture 1-0 back in August in the first ever meeting between the pair and they currently occupy the runners-up position, four points (and four games!) behind leaders Nelson. Thornton are 15th in the table, nine points clear of the drop, but will not consider themselves safe just yet with eight games to go and plenty of points still to play for.
Second-bottom Garstang are now 15 points adrift and staring the possibility of a return to the West Lancashire League in the face. The 'Stang' have three massive games up next against fellow strugglers, the first of those being on home turf against the 'Chevvies' of Steeton, who make the trip west looking to make it three wins on the bounce after beating Skelmersdale United home and away so far in 2025. At the other end of the table, there's a huge game in the play-off race at the Handmark Engineering Stadium where Holker Old Boys welcome Darwen. The 'Salmoners' are making a late charge for the top five under manager Leighton Mills, and with Euxton Villa not playing this weekend, they would leapfrog Villa into the play-off positions with a win up in Cumbria.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
The top two play the bottom two in the South division this weekend, with new league leaders Winsford United welcoming 17th-placed Wolverhampton Sporting Community to the Barton Stadium for the very first time, whilst Stafford Town make the journey to basement club Shawbury United. The Shropshire side made a decent start to life in the NWCFL but have only picked up one league win since the end of August, that coming against Market Drayton Town two weeks ago. They will face a tough task against one of the best sides in the division; Adam Wall's men have only lost three league games this term and won 7-4 (!) against Maine Road in the Edward Case Cup last weekend.
Abbey Hulton United have an opportunity to give some breathing space between themselves and 6th place as they hit the road twice in four days this week. A trip to Stockport Georgians on Saturday is swiftly followed by another away game at Winsford United in what could be a pivotal fixture at the top of the table. Winsford have the upper hand in the H2H between these two, winning three of the previous four meetings, including a 1-0 victory at Drayton Beaumont Park in the reverse fixture in October.
