Week 8: Preview

Fri 12th September 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:

We’re getting down to the wire now with NWCFL sides that are left in the FA Cup – just two remain, and both are away from home against former NWCFL Premier Division Champions this weekend. Firstly, Chadderton will contest an all-Manchester affair with NPL outfit FC United of Manchester.

At the same time, Atherton LR; winners of the Flat Cap derby in the previous round against their namesake Collieries, will travel to face National League North side Macclesfield at Moss Rose for the opportunity to feature in the third qualifying round.

Premier Division:

FC St Helens are a mere point outside of the play-off places after eight league games this season. They’ve won their last three games 2-1, all away from home, and will be hoping things go their way again when they travel to winless-in-three Abbey Hey on Saturday.

With Padiham seemingly unstoppable, the crown of ‘Best of the Rest’ is currently Burscough’s, with 20 points to their name from nine games thus far. They will hope to continue this impressive record, and to potentially close the gap on the pacesetters, when they welcome 13^th placed Cheadle Town to the Community Ground this weekend.

Also hoping to gain ground on the league leaders are third-placed Irlam, who will be on the road this weekend following their draw with City of Liverpool in midweek. They’re unbeaten in four, and will be trying to make it five when they visit Euxton Villa, who have lost their last two.

Both Litherland REMYCA and Glossop North End are desperate for a victory right now, with just one each to their name from the season so far. Something has got to give when the two sides meet at the former’s Litherland Sports Park this Saturday.

City of Liverpool are beginning to gain ground in the league, having beaten AFC Livberpool three games ago, and held Irlam in midweek. But now they face their sternest test, when they travel to table-topping, perfect-so-far Padiham, who are hoping to make it nine wins from nine in the league in 2025/26.

Just three points separate 15^th placed Pilkington and 10^th placed Longridge Town in these early stages. As both teams strive to avoid being trapped in the mid-table shuffle as the season begins to pick up steam, they will square off with one another at the PSD Stadium on Saturday.

Prestwich Heys scored a big late win over West Didsbury and Chorlton in midweek to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom two at this early junction. To carry on any momentum from that victory, they’ll need to overcome South Liverpool, who are yet to win in September and are currently 12^th in the table.

Fourth meets fifth on Saturday as Ramsbottom United take on Stockport Town at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium. Both sides will know that, should they lose to the other, their early good work to get into the top five could be undone by the chasing pack, including Wythenshawe and FC St Helens.

West Didsbury and Chorlton will hope to right the ship after Wednesday’s comeback defeat to Prestwich Heys, and will take on another side who are below them in the league at the time of writing this weekend – Barnoldswick Town. Steve Pickup’s men will have midweek defeat of their own to avenge, having lost 3-0 to Wythenshawe.

Speaking of Wythenshawe, they will be back at the Avensure Community Stadium on Saturday with a play-off position in their sights. A win over struggling AFC Liverpool could see them jump into the top five, and might also see their visitors, who have lost their last three, sink into the bottom two after 10 games.

Finally, in the day’s late kick off, FC Isle of Man will be back at The Bowl to host Charnock Richard. The Ravens are on a bad run right now – bottom of the table, and they’ve lost all of their last five, conceding 19 in that time. Charnock, by contrast, have won their last two, including their most recent game against AFC Liverpool, which was also an away game for Ryan Donnellan’s men.

First Division North:

AFC Blackpool have turned a corner recently, managing two 2-0 wins in their last two games in all competitions and lifting themselves out of the relegation zone. Now 13^th, they have leapfrogged this weekend’s opponents in Garstang, over whom they still hold a game in hand as of right now.

Ashton Athletic are the new side occupying the bottom spot in the table, with just three points to their name – they’ve not avoided defeat since the opening day. That form doesn’t look all too likely to change on paper with this weekend’s visit of Nelson, who have won their last four in all competitions.

This weekend sees a match between two sides who faced off in the Premier Division now go toe to toe in the First Division North, as Colne host Squires Gate. Both sides have struggled to completely adjust to life at Step Six thus far, sitting 11^th and 12^th in the table at the time of writing.

League leading Droylsden are back on home soil this weekend, hosting 15^th placed Bacup Borough. At a glance, this match looks like a slam dunk for the Bloods, but Bacup have only played three games in the league this season, which explains their low points total – Brent Peters’ side ought not to be slept on.

Two teams from the feeder leagues last season will go face to face at Lightfoot Green Lane in the North on Saturday, with Fulwood Amateurs playing host to MSB Woolton. Mike Harvey’s men are still yet to win in the NWCFL, but their several draws have now lifted them off the bottom of the table, and that could be their launching pad.

Play-off regulars Holker Old Boys have started the campaign expectedly strongly, and they will be back at the Handmark Engineering Stadium this weekend to welcome Asthon Town, just one week after a 2-0 home victory over Ashton Athletic. Town are 10^th right now, and are coming into this one off a 3-1 victory over Squires Gate,

Looking to reclaim their place at the pinnacle of the division are Joe Burns’ Maghull, who stumbled away from home last weekend in a 5-2 defeat to Thornton Cleveleys. They will want to right the ship on Saturday as third-bottom Daisy Hill visit the DT Hughes Community Stadium.

Thornton Cleveleys reignited their early push for a play-off spot with last weekend’s upset of Maghull, and will be itching to keep that going this coming Saturday as Maine Road – just one point and two places behind them – come to Gamble Road.

Also in the play-off picture in these early stages are Steeton, who could go second in the table by the end of the weekend if all other results go their way. Of course, they’ll have to defeat Darwen FC at home to have a chance, with the BB3 side looking to fix their inconsistent record in the league thus far.

First Division South:

Barnton will be hungry for a win this weekend for two reasons – they’ve not won either of their last two, and a defeat for either of the two teams above them would open the door to see them join the top five. Their opponents are second-bottom Wolves Sporting, who have lost their last two, including a 9-0 defeat to Sandbach United two weeks back.

Closer to the relegation zone than they might like to be after eight games are Cammell Laird 1907 – just one point and two places above the bottom four. They can rectify that with a win over seventh-place Sandbach United, who know a victory of their own might carry them into the play-off places, results elsewhere notwithstanding.

Back towards the bottom of the table, Cheadle Heath Nomads; currently outside of the drop zone by just a point, will welcome Alsager Town; currently inside the drop zone by three points, to the Ideal Building Systems Stadium. The hosts are winless in five, the visitors in three.

Eight-placed Eccleshall, fresh off a thrilling 3-3 draw with bottom club Haughmond, are in an unenviable position this Saturday – new league leaders Runcorn Town will be the visitors to the Stoke Signage Stadium. Town re-ascended to the top of the tree with a win in midweek over Cammell Laird.

Foley Meir are, unbelievably, one of five teams who are just one point above the relegation places as of right now. They are yet to win in September, but could put that right with an on-paper upset over current play-off side New Mills, who have only lost once this campaign in all competitions.

Knowing the five teams above them are just a point better off than they are, fourth-bottom Market Drayton Town will be extra hungry for a win on Saturday. Their opponents are 10^th placed Allscott Heath – just two points above their weekend hosts, but six places separate the two teams ahead of their clash.

Shawbury United will be hunting for a third win on the spin this weekend. They have won their last two matches 2-1, and their weekend opponents Ashville’s most recent defeat was two games ago – a 2-1 defeat to promotion hungry Telford Town.

Stafford Town’s midweek defeat of Alsager righted their ship following their first defeat of the campaign last weekend to Sandbach. They could take their season record to nine wins from 10 in all competitions if they come away from their home clash against bottom side Haughmond with three points.

The final of the five teams who are just a point above the drop zone to feature this weekend will be Wolves Casuals. They are playing their fourth home fixture in their last five on Saturday at Brinsford Stadium as they welcome current play-off side Stockport Georgians – winless since the end of August, but still holding onto their spot in the top five.