Gameweek 30: Preview
Fri 14th February 2025 | Match Previews | By Ben Wilkinson
Eight will become four this weekend as the Macron Cup reaches the Quarter-Final stage, whilst most of the clubs not involved continue their march towards the end of the league season. Here's what the next seven days have in store for us...
MACRON CUP QUARTER FINALS
The 'road to the Wham' continues this weekend with all four quarter finals due to kick off. Three of them are on Saturday afternoon but Barnton hope to put their poor league form to one side on Friday evening when they welcome high-flying Lower Breck. 36 places separate these two in the pyramid but league performance goes out the window for cup ties like this. Barnton have beaten three fellow First Division Clubs to reach this stage whilst Lower Breck overcame divisional rivals Pilkington and FC St Helens before hammering Nelson 5-1 in round three. Given the club's respective locations, both geographically and in the football pyramid, it's no great surprise that this will be the first ever meeting between the pair!
Onto Saturday's action and every game features a Step 6 club away at one from the (Step 5) Premier Division. Chadderton welcome AFC Blackpool in a 4pm kick off at Avro's Vestacare Stadium, with the 'Mechanics' just outside the play-off positions in the First Division North and coming into this off the back of four straight wins, one of those being an impressive two-goal victory away at Padiham in the last round just ten days ago. Chaddy received a bye in the first round before edging out Bury in a seven-goal thriller at Gigg Lane, followed by a slightly more comfortable encounter against Euxton Villa.
2nd in the Premier Division Ramsbottom United host 2nd in the First Division South Stafford Town in a tasty encounter at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium at 3pm on Saturday. Rammy have spent large parts of the season at the top of the NWCFL pyramid but have since been overhauled by Bury, but their attention now turns to knockout football and a tough task against a Stafford side who have found goals easy to come by this term, scoring five or more on SEVEN separate occasions, the most recent of which being a 7-4 win against Maine Road two weeks ago to reach the semi-finals of the Edward Case Cup - a 'treble' is still on the cards for Town and they won't be heading to BL0 just to make up the numbers!
Last but certainly not least is Charnock Richard's home tie against Maghull at Mossie Park. Charnock haven't quite hit the heights that they reached last season (barring an equally crazy rise up the table!) so the Macron Cup poses their most realistic hope of silverware this year whilst visitors Maghull have had a positive return to the Counties after a long absence, they have steered well clear of the drop zone and sit pretty in 11th. Jacob Till is one to watch in this one, the frontman has bagged seven goals in his last six appearances and could prove to be the difference here.
The semi-final draws for both the Macron Cup and Edward Case Cup are scheduled to take place at Mossie Park on Saturday afternoon and full draw details will be available right here on nwcfl.com once these have been made.
PREMIER DIVISION
While the cup takes centre stage, there is of course plenty to play for in all three divisions. With Rammy on cup duties, Bury have a golden chance to restore their four-point cushion at the top of the table as they host West Didsbury & Chorlton. West put the 'Shakers' to the sword in the reverse fixture, scoring four goals without reply at Brookburn Road last month to hand the Gigg Lane outfit their heaviest defeat since reformation. The visitors do of course have all to play for too as they sit 5th, inside the play-off spots on goal difference alone.
Longridge Town have the opportunity to enact immediate revenge on Padiham when they face-off at the Ruby Civil Arena, after the 'Storks' crushed them 5-0 in the reverse fixture at Inglewhite Road during the week. Padiham, still with a healthy number of games in hand, had been in blistering form since October which rocketed them into promotion contention before a run of three games without a win looked to have slowed their momentum. Five different goalscorers got them back to winning ways in style and they will be hoping for a repeat performance back at base.
It's tight at the foot of the table with three teams locked on 24 points, with every point proving to be vital in the battle to avoid the drop. Two narrow defeats away at promotion-chasing sides in recent weeks have seen Colne return to last place however they are back at the Haffners Stadium tomorrow for a tough test against Stockport Town. Town aren't shy in front of goal this term, having failed to score in just two league games since September, and none of their last nine. Elsewhere, Squires Gate host Burscough and Prestwich Heys welcome Pilkington to Adie Moran Park in a huge six-pointer.
Saturday isn't the last of the antics in the Premier Division this week as three rearranged fixtures are scheduled for Tuesday night with a further one on Thursday; the pick of those being an East Lancashire derby when Barnoldswick Town make the short journey to Padiham on Tuesday.
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
Massive game at the bottom of the table this week as Skelmersdale United host second-bottom Garstang. Skem remain marooned at the bottom of the NWCFL, with just five points from 27 games so far this campaign. With a bottom three finish now a mathematical certainty, the 'Blueboys' are at the mercy of the FA as to whether they remain at Step 6 or suffer a third successive relegation. The visiting 'Stang' may have just turned a corner too, following up a 3-3 draw at Ashton Athletic with a resounding 3-0 win over Steeton last time out to bring a long run without a victory to an end. They are still 12 points from safety though, and with just seven league games left to play, time is running out.
That is far from being the only big game in the division this weekend though; 2nd-placed Atherton LR are breathing down the neck of leaders Nelson and they are back at Crilly Park again this week with 5th-placed Euxton Villa the latest visitors. LR have proven to be hard to beat this term, however one of their two league defeats was handed out by the 'Villa' all the way back in August and they will be aiming to make it a double by recording their first win since 4th January.
There was a changing of the guard at Daisy Hill this week with Aaron Hunt taking over the reigns at the New Sirs. Their first game under the Hunt regime is away at Maine Road in a fixture that is unlikely to have too many ramifications on promotion and relegation but may mark the start of a new dawn for the Westhoughton-based club.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
There are seven fixtures in the First Division South on Saturday to round out this week's preview. Winsford United can pull nine points clear at the top of the table if they pick up maximum points at home to Cammell Laird 1907. The 'Blues' were twice pegged back by Abbey Hulton United to draw 2-2 during the week and coming up next for them is a home clash against a Lairds side that aren't completely out of relegation trouble yet. The relegation battle is hotting up, and 16th-placed Allscott Heath could rise as high as 12th with a win away as Ashville. Runcorn Town, after beating relegation rivals Foley Meir 6-3 last week, host Market Drayton Town in thelatest instalment of their bid to pull off the great escape after their horror start. MDT only picked up a single point from four successive home games heading into this clash and suddently find themselves looking over their shoulder!
In the playoff race, Eccleshall host New Mills ready to pile the pressure on those above them should any slip up. New Mills have tailed off recently and may just have nothing to play for except pride, but that doesn't mean they'll just roll over at the Stoke Signage Stadium.
Gameweek 30: Preview
Fri 14th February 2025 | Match Previews
By Ben Wilkinson
Eight will become four this weekend as the Macron Cup reaches the Quarter-Final stage, whilst most of the clubs not involved continue their march towards the end of the league season. Here's what the next seven days have in store for us...
MACRON CUP QUARTER FINALS
The 'road to the Wham' continues this weekend with all four quarter finals due to kick off. Three of them are on Saturday afternoon but Barnton hope to put their poor league form to one side on Friday evening when they welcome high-flying Lower Breck. 36 places separate these two in the pyramid but league performance goes out the window for cup ties like this. Barnton have beaten three fellow First Division Clubs to reach this stage whilst Lower Breck overcame divisional rivals Pilkington and FC St Helens before hammering Nelson 5-1 in round three. Given the club's respective locations, both geographically and in the football pyramid, it's no great surprise that this will be the first ever meeting between the pair!
Onto Saturday's action and every game features a Step 6 club away at one from the (Step 5) Premier Division. Chadderton welcome AFC Blackpool in a 4pm kick off at Avro's Vestacare Stadium, with the 'Mechanics' just outside the play-off positions in the First Division North and coming into this off the back of four straight wins, one of those being an impressive two-goal victory away at Padiham in the last round just ten days ago. Chaddy received a bye in the first round before edging out Bury in a seven-goal thriller at Gigg Lane, followed by a slightly more comfortable encounter against Euxton Villa.
2nd in the Premier Division Ramsbottom United host 2nd in the First Division South Stafford Town in a tasty encounter at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium at 3pm on Saturday. Rammy have spent large parts of the season at the top of the NWCFL pyramid but have since been overhauled by Bury, but their attention now turns to knockout football and a tough task against a Stafford side who have found goals easy to come by this term, scoring five or more on SEVEN separate occasions, the most recent of which being a 7-4 win against Maine Road two weeks ago to reach the semi-finals of the Edward Case Cup - a 'treble' is still on the cards for Town and they won't be heading to BL0 just to make up the numbers!
Last but certainly not least is Charnock Richard's home tie against Maghull at Mossie Park. Charnock haven't quite hit the heights that they reached last season (barring an equally crazy rise up the table!) so the Macron Cup poses their most realistic hope of silverware this year whilst visitors Maghull have had a positive return to the Counties after a long absence, they have steered well clear of the drop zone and sit pretty in 11th. Jacob Till is one to watch in this one, the frontman has bagged seven goals in his last six appearances and could prove to be the difference here.
The semi-final draws for both the Macron Cup and Edward Case Cup are scheduled to take place at Mossie Park on Saturday afternoon and full draw details will be available right here on nwcfl.com once these have been made.
PREMIER DIVISION
While the cup takes centre stage, there is of course plenty to play for in all three divisions. With Rammy on cup duties, Bury have a golden chance to restore their four-point cushion at the top of the table as they host West Didsbury & Chorlton. West put the 'Shakers' to the sword in the reverse fixture, scoring four goals without reply at Brookburn Road last month to hand the Gigg Lane outfit their heaviest defeat since reformation. The visitors do of course have all to play for too as they sit 5th, inside the play-off spots on goal difference alone.
Longridge Town have the opportunity to enact immediate revenge on Padiham when they face-off at the Ruby Civil Arena, after the 'Storks' crushed them 5-0 in the reverse fixture at Inglewhite Road during the week. Padiham, still with a healthy number of games in hand, had been in blistering form since October which rocketed them into promotion contention before a run of three games without a win looked to have slowed their momentum. Five different goalscorers got them back to winning ways in style and they will be hoping for a repeat performance back at base.
It's tight at the foot of the table with three teams locked on 24 points, with every point proving to be vital in the battle to avoid the drop. Two narrow defeats away at promotion-chasing sides in recent weeks have seen Colne return to last place however they are back at the Haffners Stadium tomorrow for a tough test against Stockport Town. Town aren't shy in front of goal this term, having failed to score in just two league games since September, and none of their last nine. Elsewhere, Squires Gate host Burscough and Prestwich Heys welcome Pilkington to Adie Moran Park in a huge six-pointer.
Saturday isn't the last of the antics in the Premier Division this week as three rearranged fixtures are scheduled for Tuesday night with a further one on Thursday; the pick of those being an East Lancashire derby when Barnoldswick Town make the short journey to Padiham on Tuesday.
FIRST DIVISION NORTH
Massive game at the bottom of the table this week as Skelmersdale United host second-bottom Garstang. Skem remain marooned at the bottom of the NWCFL, with just five points from 27 games so far this campaign. With a bottom three finish now a mathematical certainty, the 'Blueboys' are at the mercy of the FA as to whether they remain at Step 6 or suffer a third successive relegation. The visiting 'Stang' may have just turned a corner too, following up a 3-3 draw at Ashton Athletic with a resounding 3-0 win over Steeton last time out to bring a long run without a victory to an end. They are still 12 points from safety though, and with just seven league games left to play, time is running out.
That is far from being the only big game in the division this weekend though; 2nd-placed Atherton LR are breathing down the neck of leaders Nelson and they are back at Crilly Park again this week with 5th-placed Euxton Villa the latest visitors. LR have proven to be hard to beat this term, however one of their two league defeats was handed out by the 'Villa' all the way back in August and they will be aiming to make it a double by recording their first win since 4th January.
There was a changing of the guard at Daisy Hill this week with Aaron Hunt taking over the reigns at the New Sirs. Their first game under the Hunt regime is away at Maine Road in a fixture that is unlikely to have too many ramifications on promotion and relegation but may mark the start of a new dawn for the Westhoughton-based club.
FIRST DIVISION SOUTH
There are seven fixtures in the First Division South on Saturday to round out this week's preview. Winsford United can pull nine points clear at the top of the table if they pick up maximum points at home to Cammell Laird 1907. The 'Blues' were twice pegged back by Abbey Hulton United to draw 2-2 during the week and coming up next for them is a home clash against a Lairds side that aren't completely out of relegation trouble yet. The relegation battle is hotting up, and 16th-placed Allscott Heath could rise as high as 12th with a win away as Ashville. Runcorn Town, after beating relegation rivals Foley Meir 6-3 last week, host Market Drayton Town in thelatest instalment of their bid to pull off the great escape after their horror start. MDT only picked up a single point from four successive home games heading into this clash and suddently find themselves looking over their shoulder!
In the playoff race, Eccleshall host New Mills ready to pile the pressure on those above them should any slip up. New Mills have tailed off recently and may just have nothing to play for except pride, but that doesn't mean they'll just roll over at the Stoke Signage Stadium.
