Week 3: Review
Mon 11th August 2025 | Match Reviews | By Ben Wilkinson
It was raining goals across all three divisions of the NWCFL system this weekend as the ball hit the back of the net no fewer than 122 times across the 29 games!
The third weekend of the season staked a solid early claim for being the most entertaining of the campaign as goal fever hit the North West on Saturday. Strikers filled their boots with multiple hat-tricks scored across the divisions. Here's what happened:
Premier Division
Just one side still has a 100% record intact after the third round of fixtures and they go by the name of Padiham FC. Michael Morrison's 'Storks' came from behind away at Stockport Town to claim all three points and rise to the summit, Joel Brownhill's 86th-minute effort proving to be the difference between the two after Matthew Makinson cancelled out Ethan Padden's early opener for Town.
The highest-scoring game of the afternoon was Chadderton's thumping 7-2 win over South Liverpool at the Emplas Commerical North Stadium, a win made even crazier by the fact that South were 2-0 up after 25 minutes and the two sides went in level at half time! Lewis-Simon Byrne helped himself to a second-half hat trick as the hosts ran riot on Saturday afternoon to move them up to 4th in the table.
Irlam got the better of Charnock Richard in an eight-goal thriller. Charnock actually took the lead with each of their goals but were pegged back each and every time before the visitors got their noses in front themselves and saw out the game after a hectic first half. Nathan Nickeas, Luke Power and an own goal all put the 'Greens' ahead but Lucas Edwards, Declan Daniels and Ethan Cartwright all restored parity in a topsy-turvy encounter. Kingsley Williams put Irlam ahead for the very first time in the match with the seventh goal of the afternoon on 41 minutes before the goals all but dried up, Daniels getting his brace late on to ensure the points headed to Silver Street.
Burscough won by two goals to nil away at Prestwich Heys in the Friday night fixture at Adie Moran Park - the 'Linnets' continuing their unbeaten start to the campaign after drawing their opening two games.
Another unbeaten team are Euxton Villa, who left it late to salvage a point away at West Didsbury & Chorlton to keep their Premier Division record blemish-free - although they are yet to win also having drawn all three so far! Jordan Lazenbury put West two goals in front in the first half before Villa fought back with two goals in three minutesm, Sean Ince and Raj Uppal both getting their names on the scoresheet. Lazenbury added his and West's third from the spot on 82 minutes before Uppal popped up with a header deep into stoppage time to ensure the spoils were shared at Brookburn Road.
Atherton LR picked up their first Premier Division points since 2012 in style as they hit City of Liverpool for six at the Community Stadium. It was four-nil inside 27 minutes as Dave Jones' LR ran riot over the 'Purps'; Cal Hunter's goals bookending strikes from Tom Romano and Joe Bacon before Romano scored again shortly before the hour mark to make it five and Tom Lawless capped off a fantastic afternoon at the office for the newly-promoted side against a team who were two levels above them just four months ago.
A resolute second-half performance from Abbey Hey away at Pilkington ensured that they returned to Greater Manchester with their first win of the season. Pilks went down the tunnel with the advantage at half time but Bobby Carter, Rhys Webb and Finlay Hampson all beat 'keeper Oliver Green after the break as the St Helens side fell to their first league defeat, just days after suffering an 8-1 demolition away at Longridge in an FA Cup replay.
Gareth Hill scored twice at Litherland Sports Park as Barnoldswick Town won 3-1 away at Litherland REMYCA. Lewis Farmer drew first blood for the vistors before Alex Turner equalised for REMYCA inside the opening exchanges. 'Gazhilldinho' (as he is known!) then restored Barlick's advantage before extending it further on the stroke of half time.
Wythenshawe left it late to get the better of 'the Ridge' in a surprisingly low-scoring encounter at Inglewhite Road. Darius Palma scored the only goal of the game with just two minutes remaining to earn 'the Ammies' a third successive win in all competitions following their opening day defeat to Padiham.
Elsewhere, two first half goals were enough for Cheadle Town to beat AFC Liverpool and Ramsbottom United and FC St Helens shared the points at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium.
It was a five-goal thriller in the late kick off in Douglas but FC Isle of Man fell to another defeat, this time at the hands of Glossop North End. Charlie Higgins and Luke Booth both got on the scoresheet for the 'Ravens' but goals from Oliver Parker, Lewis Reilly and substitute Aeron Bardsley ensured GNE had a successful weekend on the Island.
First Division North
Fulwood Amateurs got their first NWCFL win and what a win it was, triumphing 5-2 away at Colne's Haffners Eats Stadium. It was actually the hosts who took the lead just a couple of minutes after the first whistle but once Spencer Lucas equalised for the Ams on 6 minutes it was plain sailing for the side from Preston. Lucas added another two to bag a hat trick with Sam Higham and Owen Watkinson also notching. Miles Storey got a late consolation for Colne but they were soundly beaten and languish in 11th place after three games.
Other newly-promoted side MSB Woolton were thrashed by five goals to nil away at Maine Road in a result that leaves them rooted to the foot of the standings. Loui Williams scored the only goal of the opening 45 before making it 2-0 on the hour mark. The 'Woo' were still in the game but three goals inside 11 minutes for 'Road' turned a comfortable victory into a hammering as they made it two wins out of two at Brantingham Road this season.
Emmanuel Ujahchuku thought he had salvaged a point for Ashton Athletic away at Thornton Cleveleys when he scored to make it 2-2 in the 90th minute, only for Dominic Ritchie to score for the hosts just a minute later and ensure all three points remained at Gamble Road as the Fylde Coasters rose to the top of the table. Oliver Wilkinson and Joshua Few scored for Thornton in the first half to put them in command only for William Adams to set up the grandstand finish with his goal for Athletic midway through the second period.
Steeton came from behind to beat Holker Old Boys 2-1 at the Handmark Engineering Stadium in a result many would call the surprise of the weekend; Holker had won their opening two league games 5-0 and 4-1 heading into this tie whilst Steeton finished 15th last term. Lewis Gartland and Mbako Chalashika scored for the 'Chevvies' after an earlier Farryl Foster goal put the home side ahead and the Yorkshire outfit now sit second in the league, having yet to taste defeat this campaign.
Elsewhere, there were 2-1 wins for Squires Gate against Darwen, Ashton Town over Daisy Hill, Maghull away at AFC Blackpool and Garstang at home to Droylsden.
First Division South
It was raining goals at the Viridor Community Stadium once again as the free-scoring Runcorn Town continued their blistering start to the season with a 7-0 destruction of Wolverhampton Sporting Community. Ryan Katumba scored a hat-trick for Town before the hour mark was hit, Tom Ruffer also scoring in the first half. Jorge Dwyer made it five and Jamie Apperley scored twice late on, the last of those from the penalty spot, as Runcorn Town made it four wins out of four.
Haughmond scored three times at home but it wasn't enough to prevent them falling to their fourth straight defeat as New Mills ran out 5-3 winners at Sundorne Sports Village. Maysan Benarbia bagged himself a brace late on to make it 5-1 to the 'Millers' after William Shawcross, Jack Lever and James Perry put the visitors in command against the new boys. Harvey Lewis scored a penalty for the 'Mond' to equalise at one apiece but from then on it was one way traffic until Ethan Pickford scored (again from the spot) before Lewis netted again to set up a potentially nervy finish in Shropshire.
Telford Town picked up an impressive 3-0 home victory over Sandbach United as they continued their impressive start to life in the NWCFL following promotion. Jack Howse, Josh Hesson and Harry Dear all put the ball in the net for 'the Ams' at the DRM Aggregate Arena as they move to third in the standings with 10 points picked up off their opening quartet.
Wolverhampton Casuals got their first win in the Counties in resounding fashion, putting Alsager Town to the sword at the Brinsford Stadium. Jonathan Letford scored either side of a Charlie Swingwood goal after Finlay Jackson had put the visiting 'Bullets' in front. Kyri Kourouyianni buried a penalty in added time to cap off a solid win for the 'Cassies' after a slow start to the season following relegation last term.
Matthew Hearsey was the hat-trick hero for Stafford Town, his second-half efforts securing a 4-1 win for Town against Barnton after Jack Smith's spot kick for 'the Cheshire Juve' cancelled out James May's opener.
Former Blackburn Rovers winger Ben Marshall proved that he's not lost his touch as he scored from a full sixty yards for Eccleshall against Allscott Heath in the only goal of the game at the Stoke Signage Stadium. The 34 year old stepped up for a free kick that beat everybody on its way into the goal.
Elsewhere, Cheadle Heath Nomads came from behind to beat Cammell Laird 1907 by three goals to one, Foley Meir won 2-0 at home to Market Drayton Town and Stockport Georgians left it late to win away at Ashville, Finlay Rourke netting in the 95th minute at the Ray Parker Stadium.
Week 3: Review
Mon 11th August 2025 | Match Reviews
By Ben Wilkinson
It was raining goals across all three divisions of the NWCFL system this weekend as the ball hit the back of the net no fewer than 122 times across the 29 games!
The third weekend of the season staked a solid early claim for being the most entertaining of the campaign as goal fever hit the North West on Saturday. Strikers filled their boots with multiple hat-tricks scored across the divisions. Here's what happened:
Premier Division
Just one side still has a 100% record intact after the third round of fixtures and they go by the name of Padiham FC. Michael Morrison's 'Storks' came from behind away at Stockport Town to claim all three points and rise to the summit, Joel Brownhill's 86th-minute effort proving to be the difference between the two after Matthew Makinson cancelled out Ethan Padden's early opener for Town.
The highest-scoring game of the afternoon was Chadderton's thumping 7-2 win over South Liverpool at the Emplas Commerical North Stadium, a win made even crazier by the fact that South were 2-0 up after 25 minutes and the two sides went in level at half time! Lewis-Simon Byrne helped himself to a second-half hat trick as the hosts ran riot on Saturday afternoon to move them up to 4th in the table.
Irlam got the better of Charnock Richard in an eight-goal thriller. Charnock actually took the lead with each of their goals but were pegged back each and every time before the visitors got their noses in front themselves and saw out the game after a hectic first half. Nathan Nickeas, Luke Power and an own goal all put the 'Greens' ahead but Lucas Edwards, Declan Daniels and Ethan Cartwright all restored parity in a topsy-turvy encounter. Kingsley Williams put Irlam ahead for the very first time in the match with the seventh goal of the afternoon on 41 minutes before the goals all but dried up, Daniels getting his brace late on to ensure the points headed to Silver Street.
Burscough won by two goals to nil away at Prestwich Heys in the Friday night fixture at Adie Moran Park - the 'Linnets' continuing their unbeaten start to the campaign after drawing their opening two games.
Another unbeaten team are Euxton Villa, who left it late to salvage a point away at West Didsbury & Chorlton to keep their Premier Division record blemish-free - although they are yet to win also having drawn all three so far! Jordan Lazenbury put West two goals in front in the first half before Villa fought back with two goals in three minutesm, Sean Ince and Raj Uppal both getting their names on the scoresheet. Lazenbury added his and West's third from the spot on 82 minutes before Uppal popped up with a header deep into stoppage time to ensure the spoils were shared at Brookburn Road.
Atherton LR picked up their first Premier Division points since 2012 in style as they hit City of Liverpool for six at the Community Stadium. It was four-nil inside 27 minutes as Dave Jones' LR ran riot over the 'Purps'; Cal Hunter's goals bookending strikes from Tom Romano and Joe Bacon before Romano scored again shortly before the hour mark to make it five and Tom Lawless capped off a fantastic afternoon at the office for the newly-promoted side against a team who were two levels above them just four months ago.
A resolute second-half performance from Abbey Hey away at Pilkington ensured that they returned to Greater Manchester with their first win of the season. Pilks went down the tunnel with the advantage at half time but Bobby Carter, Rhys Webb and Finlay Hampson all beat 'keeper Oliver Green after the break as the St Helens side fell to their first league defeat, just days after suffering an 8-1 demolition away at Longridge in an FA Cup replay.
Gareth Hill scored twice at Litherland Sports Park as Barnoldswick Town won 3-1 away at Litherland REMYCA. Lewis Farmer drew first blood for the vistors before Alex Turner equalised for REMYCA inside the opening exchanges. 'Gazhilldinho' (as he is known!) then restored Barlick's advantage before extending it further on the stroke of half time.
Wythenshawe left it late to get the better of 'the Ridge' in a surprisingly low-scoring encounter at Inglewhite Road. Darius Palma scored the only goal of the game with just two minutes remaining to earn 'the Ammies' a third successive win in all competitions following their opening day defeat to Padiham.
Elsewhere, two first half goals were enough for Cheadle Town to beat AFC Liverpool and Ramsbottom United and FC St Helens shared the points at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium.
It was a five-goal thriller in the late kick off in Douglas but FC Isle of Man fell to another defeat, this time at the hands of Glossop North End. Charlie Higgins and Luke Booth both got on the scoresheet for the 'Ravens' but goals from Oliver Parker, Lewis Reilly and substitute Aeron Bardsley ensured GNE had a successful weekend on the Island.
First Division North
Fulwood Amateurs got their first NWCFL win and what a win it was, triumphing 5-2 away at Colne's Haffners Eats Stadium. It was actually the hosts who took the lead just a couple of minutes after the first whistle but once Spencer Lucas equalised for the Ams on 6 minutes it was plain sailing for the side from Preston. Lucas added another two to bag a hat trick with Sam Higham and Owen Watkinson also notching. Miles Storey got a late consolation for Colne but they were soundly beaten and languish in 11th place after three games.
Other newly-promoted side MSB Woolton were thrashed by five goals to nil away at Maine Road in a result that leaves them rooted to the foot of the standings. Loui Williams scored the only goal of the opening 45 before making it 2-0 on the hour mark. The 'Woo' were still in the game but three goals inside 11 minutes for 'Road' turned a comfortable victory into a hammering as they made it two wins out of two at Brantingham Road this season.
Emmanuel Ujahchuku thought he had salvaged a point for Ashton Athletic away at Thornton Cleveleys when he scored to make it 2-2 in the 90th minute, only for Dominic Ritchie to score for the hosts just a minute later and ensure all three points remained at Gamble Road as the Fylde Coasters rose to the top of the table. Oliver Wilkinson and Joshua Few scored for Thornton in the first half to put them in command only for William Adams to set up the grandstand finish with his goal for Athletic midway through the second period.
Steeton came from behind to beat Holker Old Boys 2-1 at the Handmark Engineering Stadium in a result many would call the surprise of the weekend; Holker had won their opening two league games 5-0 and 4-1 heading into this tie whilst Steeton finished 15th last term. Lewis Gartland and Mbako Chalashika scored for the 'Chevvies' after an earlier Farryl Foster goal put the home side ahead and the Yorkshire outfit now sit second in the league, having yet to taste defeat this campaign.
Elsewhere, there were 2-1 wins for Squires Gate against Darwen, Ashton Town over Daisy Hill, Maghull away at AFC Blackpool and Garstang at home to Droylsden.
First Division South
It was raining goals at the Viridor Community Stadium once again as the free-scoring Runcorn Town continued their blistering start to the season with a 7-0 destruction of Wolverhampton Sporting Community. Ryan Katumba scored a hat-trick for Town before the hour mark was hit, Tom Ruffer also scoring in the first half. Jorge Dwyer made it five and Jamie Apperley scored twice late on, the last of those from the penalty spot, as Runcorn Town made it four wins out of four.
Haughmond scored three times at home but it wasn't enough to prevent them falling to their fourth straight defeat as New Mills ran out 5-3 winners at Sundorne Sports Village. Maysan Benarbia bagged himself a brace late on to make it 5-1 to the 'Millers' after William Shawcross, Jack Lever and James Perry put the visitors in command against the new boys. Harvey Lewis scored a penalty for the 'Mond' to equalise at one apiece but from then on it was one way traffic until Ethan Pickford scored (again from the spot) before Lewis netted again to set up a potentially nervy finish in Shropshire.
Telford Town picked up an impressive 3-0 home victory over Sandbach United as they continued their impressive start to life in the NWCFL following promotion. Jack Howse, Josh Hesson and Harry Dear all put the ball in the net for 'the Ams' at the DRM Aggregate Arena as they move to third in the standings with 10 points picked up off their opening quartet.
Wolverhampton Casuals got their first win in the Counties in resounding fashion, putting Alsager Town to the sword at the Brinsford Stadium. Jonathan Letford scored either side of a Charlie Swingwood goal after Finlay Jackson had put the visiting 'Bullets' in front. Kyri Kourouyianni buried a penalty in added time to cap off a solid win for the 'Cassies' after a slow start to the season following relegation last term.
Matthew Hearsey was the hat-trick hero for Stafford Town, his second-half efforts securing a 4-1 win for Town against Barnton after Jack Smith's spot kick for 'the Cheshire Juve' cancelled out James May's opener.
Former Blackburn Rovers winger Ben Marshall proved that he's not lost his touch as he scored from a full sixty yards for Eccleshall against Allscott Heath in the only goal of the game at the Stoke Signage Stadium. The 34 year old stepped up for a free kick that beat everybody on its way into the goal.
Elsewhere, Cheadle Heath Nomads came from behind to beat Cammell Laird 1907 by three goals to one, Foley Meir won 2-0 at home to Market Drayton Town and Stockport Georgians left it late to win away at Ashville, Finlay Rourke netting in the 95th minute at the Ray Parker Stadium.
