First Division South: The Run-In
Wed 26th March 2025 | Match Previews | By Ben Wilkinson
With just three weeks to go until the end of the season, we take a look at what's left to play for in the First Division South...
THE TITLE
It's a two-horse race for promotion out of the First Division South. Both Winsford and Stafford have occupied the top two positions since early on in the season but a recent dip in form from Stafford has opened up an eight point gap between the pair. The Blues of Winsford could make that gap a near-insurmountable eleven points this weekend with a trip to Stockport Georgians in store; Stafford Town being in Macron Cup action against AFC Blackpool.
Winsford follow that up with two home games inside a week against sides pushing for the play-offs, Cheadle Heath Nomads visiting the Barton Stadium on 1st April before Ashville make the journey on Saturday 5th. Their season is rounded off with a trip to Alsager Town who are currently just four points off the top five. Stafford, after their cup semi-final, play two games a week to finish their league campaign, and they have a tough run-in with three of their final four opponents being the other sides currently in play-off places! The 'odd one out' is the 12-mile trip south to Wolverhampton SC's Pride Park on Saturday 5th April, with Wolves still in the midst of a relegation scrap.
| |
Winsford United (P30, 74pts) |
Stafford Town (P30, 66pts) |
| Saturday 29th March |
Stockport Georgians (a) |
|
| Tuesday 1st April |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (h) |
Abbey Hulton United (h) |
| Saturday 5th April |
Ashville (h) |
Wolverhampton SC (a) |
| Tuesday 8th April |
|
Cheadle Heath Nomads (h) |
| Saturday 12th April |
Alsager Town (a) |
Sandbach United (h) |
THE PLAY-OFFS
Sandbach United and Abbey Hulton United need just three and four more points respectively to secure a play-off spot, with five teams below them all battling for a shot at promotion. Cheadle Heath Nomads hold pole position at present but the Stockport outfit still have two very tough midweek away trips to Winsford and Stafford to come in the next couple of weeks with a home game against Eccleshall, who sit immediately below them in the table, sandwiched inbetween.
That game is the only travelling that Eccleshall have to do over the course of their run-in, the 'Eagles' other three fixtures all taking place at Pershall Park. Two of those three are against sides currently in the bottom three but with everything still to play for, the Staffordshire club can't look at any game as an easy one. Ashville host Alsager Town this weekend in a must-win game for both sides; a draw doing little good for either and whoever ends up on the losing side would have a big hill to climb to reach the top five. Ashville then play three away games on the bounce, including trips to Winsford and Abbey Hulton, whilst Alsager make the short trip east to Foley Meir before finishing off at Wood Park with home ties against Barnton and Winsford.
Stockport Georgians were looking over their shoulder not so long ago, but a fantastic run of six wins in their last eight has put the Cromley Road club on the periphery of the play-offs. Being seven points adrift with just four games to go leaves them as heavy outsiders as they are likely to need to win all four remaining games whilst relying on some favourable results elsewhere. Stranger things have happened though and you can't rule anything out!
| |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (P30, 49pts) |
Eccleshall (P30, 48pts) |
Ashville (P30, 46pts) |
Alsager Town (P30, 45pts) |
Stockport Georgians (P30, 42pts) |
| Saturday 29th March |
|
Market Drayton Town (h) |
Alsager Town (h) |
Ashville (a) |
Winsford United (h) |
| Tuesday 1st April |
Winsford United (a) |
|
Runcorn Town (a) |
|
New Mills (h) |
| Wednesday 2nd April |
|
Wolverhampton SC (h) |
|
Foley Meir (a) |
|
| Saturday 5th April |
Eccleshall (h) |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (a) |
Winsford United (a) |
Barnton (h) |
Shawbury United (a) |
| Tuesday 8th April |
Stafford Town (a) |
|
|
|
|
| Saturday 12th April |
Shawbury United (a) |
Allscott Heath (h) |
Abbey Hulton United (a) |
Winsford United (h) |
Barnton (a) |
THE RELEGATION BATTLE
The dogfight at the bottom of the First Division South is arguably the most wide-open of all; no side has been consigned to the drop as of yet and even Runcorn Town up in 13th could still be dragged into it! Town need one more win to make sure of their Step 6 status, something that may have looked beyond their wildest dreams back in August when they lost their first TEN league games. They could secure safety in their next game is against fellow strugglers Foley Meir, a side that they resoundingly saw off 6-3 in the reverse fixture in February.
That game was the second in a run of six defeats out of seven for Foley, the newly-promoted side sliding towards the trap door with just one point separating them from Allscott Heath in 16th, although they do have a game in hand over the 'Monners'. Following this weekend's game at Runcorn, Foley host two play-off contenders in Alsager and Abbey Hulton before travelling to mid-table Cammell Laird 1907 on the final day.
While Barnton are in the Macron Cup semi-finals, they are in real danger of being dragged into the bottom three; the 'Bianconeri' started the league season well but results over the winter left them in a relegation scrap, a recent win over New Mills providing some breathing space. They have just two league fixtures left, travelling to Alsager next weekend before hosting Stockport Georgians seven days later.
Wolverhampton Sporting Community picked up a crucial win last time out over Shawbury United, a result that lifted them off the foot of the table at the expense of their opposition. Both teams have tricky (on paper!) fixture lists and face a challenge to overhaul the sides above them. Shawbury host Allscott Heath on Tuesday 1st April in what is nothing less than a must-win for the hosts if they are survive at Step 6, with two further home fixtures against sides in the top half of the table to come in the closing stages.
| |
Runcorn Town (P30, 34pts) |
Barnton (P32, 32pts) |
Foley Meir (P30, 28pts) |
Allscott Heath (P31, 27pts) |
Wolverhampton SC (P30, 24pts) |
Shawbury United (P30, 23pts) |
| Saturday 29th March |
Foley Meir (h) |
|
Runcorn Town (a) |
|
Abbey Hulton United (a) |
Sandbach United (h) |
| Tuesday 1st April |
Ashville (h) |
|
|
Shawbury United (a) |
|
Allscott Heath (h) |
| Wednesday 2nd April |
|
|
Alsager Town (h) |
|
Eccleshall (a) |
|
| Saturday 5th April |
Sandbach United (a) |
Alsager Town (a) |
Abbey Hulton United (h) |
New Mills (a) |
Stafford Town (h) |
Stockport Georgians (h) |
| Saturday 12th April |
Wolverhampton SC (a) |
Stockport Georgians (h) |
Cammell Laird 1907 (a) |
Eccleshall (a) |
Runcorn Town (h) |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (h) |
First Division South: The Run-In
Wed 26th March 2025 | Match Previews
By Ben Wilkinson
With just three weeks to go until the end of the season, we take a look at what's left to play for in the First Division South...
THE TITLE
It's a two-horse race for promotion out of the First Division South. Both Winsford and Stafford have occupied the top two positions since early on in the season but a recent dip in form from Stafford has opened up an eight point gap between the pair. The Blues of Winsford could make that gap a near-insurmountable eleven points this weekend with a trip to Stockport Georgians in store; Stafford Town being in Macron Cup action against AFC Blackpool.
Winsford follow that up with two home games inside a week against sides pushing for the play-offs, Cheadle Heath Nomads visiting the Barton Stadium on 1st April before Ashville make the journey on Saturday 5th. Their season is rounded off with a trip to Alsager Town who are currently just four points off the top five. Stafford, after their cup semi-final, play two games a week to finish their league campaign, and they have a tough run-in with three of their final four opponents being the other sides currently in play-off places! The 'odd one out' is the 12-mile trip south to Wolverhampton SC's Pride Park on Saturday 5th April, with Wolves still in the midst of a relegation scrap.
| |
Winsford United (P30, 74pts) |
Stafford Town (P30, 66pts) |
| Saturday 29th March |
Stockport Georgians (a) |
|
| Tuesday 1st April |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (h) |
Abbey Hulton United (h) |
| Saturday 5th April |
Ashville (h) |
Wolverhampton SC (a) |
| Tuesday 8th April |
|
Cheadle Heath Nomads (h) |
| Saturday 12th April |
Alsager Town (a) |
Sandbach United (h) |
THE PLAY-OFFS
Sandbach United and Abbey Hulton United need just three and four more points respectively to secure a play-off spot, with five teams below them all battling for a shot at promotion. Cheadle Heath Nomads hold pole position at present but the Stockport outfit still have two very tough midweek away trips to Winsford and Stafford to come in the next couple of weeks with a home game against Eccleshall, who sit immediately below them in the table, sandwiched inbetween.
That game is the only travelling that Eccleshall have to do over the course of their run-in, the 'Eagles' other three fixtures all taking place at Pershall Park. Two of those three are against sides currently in the bottom three but with everything still to play for, the Staffordshire club can't look at any game as an easy one. Ashville host Alsager Town this weekend in a must-win game for both sides; a draw doing little good for either and whoever ends up on the losing side would have a big hill to climb to reach the top five. Ashville then play three away games on the bounce, including trips to Winsford and Abbey Hulton, whilst Alsager make the short trip east to Foley Meir before finishing off at Wood Park with home ties against Barnton and Winsford.
Stockport Georgians were looking over their shoulder not so long ago, but a fantastic run of six wins in their last eight has put the Cromley Road club on the periphery of the play-offs. Being seven points adrift with just four games to go leaves them as heavy outsiders as they are likely to need to win all four remaining games whilst relying on some favourable results elsewhere. Stranger things have happened though and you can't rule anything out!
| |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (P30, 49pts) |
Eccleshall (P30, 48pts) |
Ashville (P30, 46pts) |
Alsager Town (P30, 45pts) |
Stockport Georgians (P30, 42pts) |
| Saturday 29th March |
|
Market Drayton Town (h) |
Alsager Town (h) |
Ashville (a) |
Winsford United (h) |
| Tuesday 1st April |
Winsford United (a) |
|
Runcorn Town (a) |
|
New Mills (h) |
| Wednesday 2nd April |
|
Wolverhampton SC (h) |
|
Foley Meir (a) |
|
| Saturday 5th April |
Eccleshall (h) |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (a) |
Winsford United (a) |
Barnton (h) |
Shawbury United (a) |
| Tuesday 8th April |
Stafford Town (a) |
|
|
|
|
| Saturday 12th April |
Shawbury United (a) |
Allscott Heath (h) |
Abbey Hulton United (a) |
Winsford United (h) |
Barnton (a) |
THE RELEGATION BATTLE
The dogfight at the bottom of the First Division South is arguably the most wide-open of all; no side has been consigned to the drop as of yet and even Runcorn Town up in 13th could still be dragged into it! Town need one more win to make sure of their Step 6 status, something that may have looked beyond their wildest dreams back in August when they lost their first TEN league games. They could secure safety in their next game is against fellow strugglers Foley Meir, a side that they resoundingly saw off 6-3 in the reverse fixture in February.
That game was the second in a run of six defeats out of seven for Foley, the newly-promoted side sliding towards the trap door with just one point separating them from Allscott Heath in 16th, although they do have a game in hand over the 'Monners'. Following this weekend's game at Runcorn, Foley host two play-off contenders in Alsager and Abbey Hulton before travelling to mid-table Cammell Laird 1907 on the final day.
While Barnton are in the Macron Cup semi-finals, they are in real danger of being dragged into the bottom three; the 'Bianconeri' started the league season well but results over the winter left them in a relegation scrap, a recent win over New Mills providing some breathing space. They have just two league fixtures left, travelling to Alsager next weekend before hosting Stockport Georgians seven days later.
Wolverhampton Sporting Community picked up a crucial win last time out over Shawbury United, a result that lifted them off the foot of the table at the expense of their opposition. Both teams have tricky (on paper!) fixture lists and face a challenge to overhaul the sides above them. Shawbury host Allscott Heath on Tuesday 1st April in what is nothing less than a must-win for the hosts if they are survive at Step 6, with two further home fixtures against sides in the top half of the table to come in the closing stages.
| |
Runcorn Town (P30, 34pts) |
Barnton (P32, 32pts) |
Foley Meir (P30, 28pts) |
Allscott Heath (P31, 27pts) |
Wolverhampton SC (P30, 24pts) |
Shawbury United (P30, 23pts) |
| Saturday 29th March |
Foley Meir (h) |
|
Runcorn Town (a) |
|
Abbey Hulton United (a) |
Sandbach United (h) |
| Tuesday 1st April |
Ashville (h) |
|
|
Shawbury United (a) |
|
Allscott Heath (h) |
| Wednesday 2nd April |
|
|
Alsager Town (h) |
|
Eccleshall (a) |
|
| Saturday 5th April |
Sandbach United (a) |
Alsager Town (a) |
Abbey Hulton United (h) |
New Mills (a) |
Stafford Town (h) |
Stockport Georgians (h) |
| Saturday 12th April |
Wolverhampton SC (a) |
Stockport Georgians (h) |
Cammell Laird 1907 (a) |
Eccleshall (a) |
Runcorn Town (h) |
Cheadle Heath Nomads (h) |
