Gameweek 33: Review
Mon 10th March 2025 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper
Another weekend, another round of games from all 3 divisions of the NWCFL. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last week has had to offer.
Premier Division
Friday:
Since Chadderton’s temporary move to the Vestacare Stadium on Friday nights, it’s been rough going, and it looked as though lowly South Liverpool were going to add to that when they took a 2-0 lead into the break. However, three goals in the second half for Chaddy, and a third for South in the middle, eventually saw the points shared at 3-3.
Saturday:
There was a first-half flurry at the Marine Travel Arena this past Saturday, when AFC Liverpool welcomed Longridge Town. All of Adam Moorcroft, Caleb Jones and Liam Paton bagged before the break to send Lee Ashcroft’s men home empty handed. The game finished 3-0.
In what was arguably the game of the weekend, Cheadle Town and West Didsbury and Chorlton went toe-to-toe and almost goal-for-goal in a barnburner at the former’s Ground Up Solutions Stadium. Despite two late goals by Town’s Oliver Ford, West held onto a sizeable lead that they’d amassed, to see out a 4-3 victory.
FC Isle of Man would’ve been confident heading into their hosting of bottom side Squires Gate in the weekend’s late kick-off. Whatever designs they might’ve had on walking away with maximum points were snuffed out by Jack Coop (twice) and James Boyd, who helped Gate pull off a surprising 3-2 victory.
Exactly one week on from Colne’s comeback heroics against Charnock Richard, a similar fairytale was needed if Andy Harrison’s men were to take anything away from Irlam. 2-0 down with just over 20 minutes to go, Colne again refused to roll over and dragged the match back to a 2-2 scoreline to save a point for themselves.
Lower Breck have upset the apple cart over the course of the last week, sneaking into second place in the table ahead of long-time league leaders Ramsbottom United with fewer and fewer games to play. On Saturday, they reasserted their claim to be best of the rest behind Bury with an overwhelming 5-1 victory on home soil against FC St Helens.
Other scores:
Bury 2-0 Barnoldswick Town
Charnock Richard 0-2 Ramsbottom United
Glossop North End 0-1 Abbey Hey
Litherland REMYCA 0-0 Padiham
Prestwich Heys 1-2 Burscough
Stockport Town 2-1 Pilkington
First Division North
In a Preston derby of sorts, it was on Garstang to win and hope Steeton would be beaten if they wanted to avoid being officially condemned to the relegation zone. They hosted Euxton Villa at the Riverside, but were soundly beaten by their visitors, with Patrick Bibby spearheading a 4-0 win for Villa. Garstang join Skem in purgatory, as we await the new league allocations heading into 2025/26.
Nelson’s fierce defence of top spot in the First Division North was given a big boost in their absence from the weekend’s games by Holker Old Boys on Saturday. Second-place Atherton LR were the visitors to the Handmark Engineering Stadium but had to return to Greater Manchester empty handed thanks to a 3-1 HOB victory.
That Old Boys victory, coupled with what went down in AFC Blackpool’s trip to Maghull really helped to shore up the play-off places in the division. Adam Brooks got the ball rolling early for Maghull, and they went on to batter AFC 4-0, leaving the Seasiders 12 points away from a chance at promotion.
Other scores:
Ashton Athletic 2-1 Bacup Borough
Ashton Town 2-0 Steeton
Droylsden 1-2 Daisy Hill
First Division South
Ashville had a glorious chance to narrow the gap between themselves and the play-off places to zero points and just goal difference on Saturday, but they were denied by a valiant Stockport Georgians side. Kyle Wych scored a 96th minute winner for the visitors as they took maximum points from the Ray Parker Stadium, despite finishing the game with 10 men.
Barnton’s decision to bring in their new two-manager combination is working wonders for their want to escape potential relegation. This past weekend, they won their fourth game in eight since Wood and Humphries were appointed, smashing New Mills 3-1 and extending the gap between themselves and the dotted line to six points.
Market Drayton Town were feeling it on their travels to Foley Meir this Saturday. Dan Dawson’s men put four past Meir, two either side of half time, with Isaac Shaw bagging two of his own. A late-ish Jay Finney strike didn’t do much for Foley in the end, and the match finished 4-1.
Other scores:
Eccleshall 0-1 Cammell Laird 1907
Runcorn Town 1-0 Abbey Hulton United
Stafford Town A-A Alsager Town
Match abandoned on 90 minutes due to player injury. Score was 2-0.
Gameweek 33: Review
Mon 10th March 2025 | Match Reviews
By Jay Cooper
Another weekend, another round of games from all 3 divisions of the NWCFL. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last week has had to offer.
Premier Division
Friday:
Since Chadderton’s temporary move to the Vestacare Stadium on Friday nights, it’s been rough going, and it looked as though lowly South Liverpool were going to add to that when they took a 2-0 lead into the break. However, three goals in the second half for Chaddy, and a third for South in the middle, eventually saw the points shared at 3-3.
Saturday:
There was a first-half flurry at the Marine Travel Arena this past Saturday, when AFC Liverpool welcomed Longridge Town. All of Adam Moorcroft, Caleb Jones and Liam Paton bagged before the break to send Lee Ashcroft’s men home empty handed. The game finished 3-0.
In what was arguably the game of the weekend, Cheadle Town and West Didsbury and Chorlton went toe-to-toe and almost goal-for-goal in a barnburner at the former’s Ground Up Solutions Stadium. Despite two late goals by Town’s Oliver Ford, West held onto a sizeable lead that they’d amassed, to see out a 4-3 victory.
FC Isle of Man would’ve been confident heading into their hosting of bottom side Squires Gate in the weekend’s late kick-off. Whatever designs they might’ve had on walking away with maximum points were snuffed out by Jack Coop (twice) and James Boyd, who helped Gate pull off a surprising 3-2 victory.
Exactly one week on from Colne’s comeback heroics against Charnock Richard, a similar fairytale was needed if Andy Harrison’s men were to take anything away from Irlam. 2-0 down with just over 20 minutes to go, Colne again refused to roll over and dragged the match back to a 2-2 scoreline to save a point for themselves.
Lower Breck have upset the apple cart over the course of the last week, sneaking into second place in the table ahead of long-time league leaders Ramsbottom United with fewer and fewer games to play. On Saturday, they reasserted their claim to be best of the rest behind Bury with an overwhelming 5-1 victory on home soil against FC St Helens.
Other scores:
Bury 2-0 Barnoldswick Town
Charnock Richard 0-2 Ramsbottom United
Glossop North End 0-1 Abbey Hey
Litherland REMYCA 0-0 Padiham
Prestwich Heys 1-2 Burscough
Stockport Town 2-1 Pilkington
First Division North
In a Preston derby of sorts, it was on Garstang to win and hope Steeton would be beaten if they wanted to avoid being officially condemned to the relegation zone. They hosted Euxton Villa at the Riverside, but were soundly beaten by their visitors, with Patrick Bibby spearheading a 4-0 win for Villa. Garstang join Skem in purgatory, as we await the new league allocations heading into 2025/26.
Nelson’s fierce defence of top spot in the First Division North was given a big boost in their absence from the weekend’s games by Holker Old Boys on Saturday. Second-place Atherton LR were the visitors to the Handmark Engineering Stadium but had to return to Greater Manchester empty handed thanks to a 3-1 HOB victory.
That Old Boys victory, coupled with what went down in AFC Blackpool’s trip to Maghull really helped to shore up the play-off places in the division. Adam Brooks got the ball rolling early for Maghull, and they went on to batter AFC 4-0, leaving the Seasiders 12 points away from a chance at promotion.
Other scores:
Ashton Athletic 2-1 Bacup Borough
Ashton Town 2-0 Steeton
Droylsden 1-2 Daisy Hill
First Division South
Ashville had a glorious chance to narrow the gap between themselves and the play-off places to zero points and just goal difference on Saturday, but they were denied by a valiant Stockport Georgians side. Kyle Wych scored a 96th minute winner for the visitors as they took maximum points from the Ray Parker Stadium, despite finishing the game with 10 men.
Barnton’s decision to bring in their new two-manager combination is working wonders for their want to escape potential relegation. This past weekend, they won their fourth game in eight since Wood and Humphries were appointed, smashing New Mills 3-1 and extending the gap between themselves and the dotted line to six points.
Market Drayton Town were feeling it on their travels to Foley Meir this Saturday. Dan Dawson’s men put four past Meir, two either side of half time, with Isaac Shaw bagging two of his own. A late-ish Jay Finney strike didn’t do much for Foley in the end, and the match finished 4-1.
Other scores:
Eccleshall 0-1 Cammell Laird 1907
Runcorn Town 1-0 Abbey Hulton United
Stafford Town A-A Alsager Town
Match abandoned on 90 minutes due to player injury. Score was 2-0.
