Week 6: Preview

Sat 30th 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, First Qualifying Round:

• In a first-time ever Flat Cap derby in the FA Cup, Atherton LR will welcome Atherton Collieries to Crilly Park. The NWCFL Prem side are high on momentum right now, with this being their first match since their 5-0 home drubbing of Stockport Town.
• Chadderton are also in action in English Football’s oldest Cup competition this weekend, away at Bishop Auckland. They are also coming off a thumping win in their last match, having put FC St Helens to the sword in a 4-1 home win on Monday.
• Longridge Town, who also won on bank holiday Monday when they defeated Charnock Richard 3-1 at home, will travel to Hebburn Town in a competition that has already seen them record an 8-1 victory in 2025/26.
• The bank holiday victories for our still-remaining FA Cup teams keep on coming, with Wythenshawe looking to capitalise on their 4-0 win over FC Isle of Man earlier this week by advancing into the FA Cup second qualifier away at West Auckland Town.
• West Didsbury and Chorlton are the only other team besides Atherton LR that have a home FA Cup game coming on Saturday, when they welcome Runcorn Linnets to the Step Places Stadium. They won 4-1 away from home against City of Liverpool on Monday – can they repeat that feat?

Premier Division:

• In a Liverpool derby, it is AFC vs City Of on Saturday at the former’s Berry Street Garage Stadium. City conceded four in their last match, and AFC scored just as many in their last match against Pilkington. The away side will want to reverse the momentum of the two teams coming into this one.
• Burscough, fresh off a Greater Liverpool derby victory over South Liverpool on Monday, will contend another one when they host FC St Helens on Saturday. The hosts are second in the table at time of writing, with yet-to-drop-points Padiham firmly in their sights.
• Abbey Hey played right to the whistle on Monday when they scored against Glossop North End in the 97^th minute, but they will hope to be out of sight long before that point in the game when they travel to Charnock Richard on Saturday. The hosts lost last time out to Longridge, so will be hoping for a course correction.
• Glossop North End have just one victory to their name so far this league season, whereas South Liverpool have had a perfectly balanced three wins, three defeats start to their season. The former will be hoping that the first fact changes this weekend when these two sides got toe to toe.
• With an away win this weekend, Irlam will continue to be in the play-off places following their good start to 2025/26, whereas hosting Litherland REMYCA, who are just a point above the bottom two as of right now, will want a win of their own to put some early distance between themselves and the drop.
• There was only one Premier Division draw on Bank Holiday Monday, and Barnoldswick Town were the hosting team. They’ll be desperate to avoid another 95^th minute goal concession when they go on the road this Saturday to square off with Pilkington.
• That team who scored a 95^th minute equaliser against Barlick were current relegation zone occupiers Prestwich Heys. They will return to the Adie Moran Park this Saturday to welcome Cheadle Town, who are coming off the back of a home defeat to Irlam.
• Stockport Town’s strong start to the campaign was hindered abruptly on Monday with a 5-0 defeat to Atherton LR. Paul Turnbull’s men will be desperate to recover when they welcome newly promoted Euxton Villa on Saturday.
• In the day’s late kick-off, FC Isle of Man, currently a mere place above the drop zone, will welcome league-leading Padiham to the Bowl in an attempt to become the first team to take points off the Storks in the league this season.

First Division North:

• Ashton Athletic made an early exit from the FA Vase last weekend to Prem side Charnock Richard, but they can now re-focus on the First Division North when they host play-off hopefuls Droylsden at Brocstedes Park on Saturday.
• It’s finally here! It’s Bacup Borough’s first league game of the season! Somehow, they aren’t bottom of the table as of right now, and Brent Peters’ men could lift themselves all the way to 10^th if results go their way when they travel to Ashton Town on Saturday.
• Both Colne and Garstang picked up FA Vase victories against non-NWCFL opposition last weekend, but only one side can win when they go head-to-head on Saturday at the former’s Haffners Eats Stadium.
• The side keeping Bacup off the bottom is AFC Blackpool, currently without a point to their name in the 2025/26 league season. Saturday would be as good of a time as any to break this bad run of form when they travel to 6^th placed Darwen FC’s Multevo Group Anchor Ground.
• Fulwood Amateurs are starting to grow into themselves as an NWCFL side, and they will welcome Daisy Hill to Lightfoot Green Lane on Saturday as they look to further cement themselves as play-off hopefuls and build on an impressive start thus far to life at Step Six.
• By contrast, fellow new arrivals MSB Woolton’s most recent league match was a draw, and it granted them their only point from their opening three games in the league. One might become four if they can flip the script on Holker Old Boys whose momentum has stalled since their opening two matches.
• Nelson, under the new (old) stewardship of returning manager Arron Ripley, will be on the lookout for their second league win of the fledgling campaign as they welcome top-half side Thornton Cleveleys to Little Wembley this weekend.
• If all results go their way this weekend, Maine Road could finish the month as the top side in the First Division North, With nine points from 12 to their name thus far, Ryan Eiselt and Reece Lyndon’s men will travel to newly relegated Squires Gate in search of their fourth win from five on Saturday.
• Finally, in what is undoubtedly the most important game in this division this weekend, top of the league Maghull will travel to second-placed Steeton’s Marley Stadium for a clash of the pacesetters. The winner, if there is one, will go into September as the league’s top dogs; a draw, and third-placed Maine Road could well take advantage.

First Division South:

• Stafford Town were second in the table for the majority of last season, and were again until recently, with the rise of newly promoted Telford Town dropping them down to third. With a slice of luck this weekend, they could jump all the way to the top, providing they defeat Allscott Heath away from home.
• Goal difference is the only thing keeping Alsager Town out of the relegation places after four matches, and goal difference is the only thing keeping Stockport Georgians in the play-off places after five. One of these things could very easily change after the two sides meet at Wood Park on Saturday.
• New table-toppers Telford Town are loving life in the NWCFL. They will be on the road this weekend to square off with 8^th placed Ashville, following a momentous 6-0 victory over fellow new side Haughmond in the Edward Case Cup on Wednesday.
• Both Cheadle Heath Nomads and Barnton were away from home last Friday night in the FA Vase – the former lost on penalties to Wythenshawe; the latter won on penalties against South Leeds. Now, they face one another in the First Division South.
• The wait continues for Haughmond for their first NWCFL points, but a good opportunity is on the horizon for them to break their duck. On Saturday, they travel to Foley Meir, whose start to the campaign hasn’t set the world on fire, but they did pick up a 3-2 win in their most recent game – an Edward Case Cup clash with Allscott Heath.
• In a match that could determine the complexion of the current play-offs picture, 5^th placed New Mills will host 7^th placed Eccleshall, with just a point (and Barnton) currently separating the two sides in the First Division South table.
• Wolves Sporting are on a run to remember right now. They’ve won their last three games in all competitions, including bagging their first league win over New Mills, and will hope to make it four on the trot when they go away to middle-of-the-pack Sandbach United at their Community Football Centre on Saturday.
• Runcorn Town, for the first time since the opening day, are no longer top of the First Division South table. With a weekend win over Shawbury United away from home, they could reassume their first-placed status, provided that momentum-happy Telford drop points at the same time.
• Wolves Casuals have lost their last two matches ahead of their weekend welcoming of Cammell Laird 1907. Last time they lost two on the spin, they bounced back with a 4-1 victory, but that might be hard to replicate given that a win for Laird would see them leave the drop zone – that’s one mighty motivator.