Week 4: Preview

Sat 16th August 2025 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper

The Emirates FA Cup is back! And there's plenty of NWCFL league action as a cherry on the cake! Let's see who's facing whom this weekend.

Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round

Friday:

• Prestwich Heys have already knocked off one higher-level opponent in the FA Cup this season, beating Wythenshawe Town 4-2, but were unable to replicate that magic in their clash with NPL West side Atherton Collieries, losing 2-0.

Saturday:

• Congleton Town will make an appearance in a match adjacent to the NWCFL for the first time since 2022/23, as the NPL West side welcome Premier Division Padiham to the Cleric Stadium for an FA Cup clash. The Storks got this chance by defeating Penistone Church 4-1 in the EP Round.
• FC St Helens and Atherton LR will contest the weekend’s first all-NWCFL clash of the competition, with the former having knocked off Glossop North End, and the latter beating Ossett United in the prior round.
• Following suit will be Irlam and Chadderton, with the cross-Manchester rivals battling over a place in the First Qualifying Round after EP Round victories against Thackley and Stockport Town, respectively.
• Longridge Town were the beneficiaries of the last round’s biggest battering, defeating Pilkington 8-1 in a midweek replay. They will want to maintain that momentum in the Preliminary Round as they host NPL East side Emley.
• Charnock Richard slipped into the Preliminary Round by beating Burscough 1-0 two weeks ago, and now they will have to travel to and beat Nantwich Town, of the NPL West, to make the hat for the First Qualifier.
• In another NPL vs NWCFL clash, Silsden will host Ramsbottom United, who overcame NCEL side Golcar United 2-1 away from home to qualify for this fixture.
• One NWCFL side with home advantage over a non-NWCFL opponent on Saturday will be West Didsbury and Chorlton, who needed a replay AND extra time to overcome Winsford United in the EP Round. Their reward is hosting NPL East side Brighouse Town.
• AFC Liverpool also needed a replay to edge past Abbey Hey, winning 2-1 a week and a half ago to secure their spot in this Preliminary Round. They will be on the road this weekend, facing off with NPL West side Witton Albion.
• Wythenshawe put Liversedge to the sword 3-0 in the EP Round away from home, and will have to do perform in a similar way on Saturday when they welcome higher-tier opponents. NPL West side Vauxhall Motors, NWCFL Champions in 2022/23, will be their roadblock to the First Qualifier.

Sunday:

• City of Liverpool will round out the weekend of FA Cup action with a visit to 165-year-old Hallam FC, of the NPL East. That is their prize for defeating Euxton Villa 2-1 in the EP Round.

Premier Division

• Abbey Hey are not in FA Cup action after defeat to AFC Liverpool a week and a half ago, but they will host FC Isle of Man in the league, who are yet to win a match in this season's Premier Division.
• Burscough and Litherland REMYCA will contest a Liverpool derby of sorts on Saturday, with both sides featuring in 2-1 results in midweek – Burscough won against Longridge Town, REMY lost to South Liverpool.
• Euxton Villa ought to feel no shame in their midweek defeat to table-topping Padiham, and will hope to record their first win of the season when they welcome Barnoldswick Town. The visitors lost 6-0 to goal-hungry Chadderton on Tuesday.
• It will be a battle of Towns on Saturday as Stockport host Cheadle, with neither side having featured in midweek. The latter defeated AFC Liverpool 2-0 last weekend, whereas the former are looking to recover after a defeat to perfect Padiham.

First Division North

• Droylsden suffered an away defeat to Garstang last weekend, and will look to shake off the cobwebs with a home match against Squires Gate. The visitors will start the day right in the middle of the table following their first win of the season over Darwen FC.
• Garstang will host their first Preston derby of the campaign on Saturday with the visit of Fulwood Amatuers, for a first-time match between the two in the NWCFL. Fulwood notched their first ever NWCFL win last weekend, 5-2 away at Colne.
• Darwen FC will make the division’s longest away journey on Saturday as they head to Holker Old Boys, with the hosts having lost in the league for the first time this season last weekend to Steeton. The BB3 side will hope to compound their misery.
• Unbeaten Maghull are third in the league after three matches, and only goal difference is keeping them off top spot. If results go their way at the same time that they face Nelson, who have had an extra week’s rest ahead of this meeting, then they may well end the weekend on top of the table.
• Maine Road will fancy themselves on Saturday after their terrific 5-0 victory over MSB Woolton last time out. They are at home again this weekend, with Ashton Athletic playing the visitors. Jay Foulds’ men suffered a narrow defeat to table-topping Thornton Cleveleys in their last match.
• Speaking of MSB Woolton, they will hope to lift themselves off the foot of the table this weekend and record their first points as an NWCFL outfit. Their opponents are Daisy Hill, who have just one more point than they do, and are coming into this match off a defeat to 2-1 Ashton Town last weekend.
• Thornton Cleveleys will hope to end the weekend exactly where they have started it – at the top of the First Division North. The team hoping to rain on their parade this weekend will be Steeton, who upset Holker’s unbeaten start to the campaign last time out, and will be banking on history repeating itself.

First Division South:

• Alsager Town are back at home this weekend after their 4-1 defeat to new boys Wolves Casuals last time out. They’ll be looking for redemption against another new team to the division in Haughmond, who are yet to get off the mark in the NWCFL.
• The team that Wolves Casuals will be hoping to build on their momentum against is Barnton when the two sides clash at the latter’s Creative Hut Stadium. If the visitors win, then the two sides will be level on points in the table after this weekend.
• Foley Meir recorded their first victory of the campaign last weekend with a 2-0 victory over Market Drayton Town, and they will be trying to make it two in two with an away trip to Cammell Laird 1907. They were also involved in a game decided by a two-goal swing last weekend, but they were beaten 3-1 by Cheadle Heath Nomads.
• Just a point separates Market Drayton Town and Ashville after four league games so far, with both teams hoping to add to their one league win that they’ve managed in that time when they go toe to toe at Greenfields Sports Ground.
• Pacesetters and league leaders Runcorn Town have win four out of four games so far, and they have amassed an impressive +15 goal difference in that time. The team hoping to be the immovable object to their unstoppable force this weekend will be 14^th placed Sandbach United.
• Shawbury United will be back at Carradine Road on Saturday to welcome Eccleshall. Neither of these two teams were in league action last weekend, and just one goal separates them in the table, with the hosts having the slight advantage going into this one.
• Stockport Georgians left it VERY late to snatch all three points last weekend with a visit to Ashville. They’ll hope to pick up a second win on the trot in a much less dramatic fashion on Saturday when they host Allscott Heath.
• New boys Telford Town remain third in the table and unbeaten so far. They will be back home at the DRM Aggregate Arena on Saturday to welcome 6^th placed Cheadle Heath Nomads, who are looking to upset the apple cart and further establish themselves as potential play-off candidates.
• Bottom side Wolves Sporting began the 2024/25 season with a winless run, and history appears to be repeating itself so far. Their latest test will be the visit of New Mills to Pride Park, who are coming into this one off the back of a chaotic 5-3 away victory over Haughmond last weekend.