Week 10: Preview
Fri 26th September 2025 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
Plenty of eyes will be on the NWCFL's last remaining FA Cup side on Saturday. Elsewhere, the Macron Cup is back! Let's see who's facing whom this weekend.
Friday:
Macron Cup, 1st Round:
Friday night will play host to three clashes in this season’s Macron Cup opening weekend, two of which will kick off at 19:45pm. One will be when First Division North mid-table outfit Ashton Town take on Premier Division strugglers City of Liverpool. At the same time, there will be a clash of First Division North promotion hopefuls as league-leading Droylsden take on fourth-placed Maine Road.
Then, at 8pm, twos sides from last season’s First Division North play-offs will go toe to toe at the Jim Fowler Memorial Stadium. Winners Euxton Villa, currently 19th in the Prem, will host Holker Old Boys, 8th in the North at the time of writing.
Saturday:
Emirates FA Cup, 3rd Qualifying Round:
Just one team from the NWCFL remains in English football’s oldest competition – Premier Division Chadderton. They’ve knocked off Stockport Town, Irlam, Bishop Auckland and FC United of Manchester to reach this point, and now they face National League North side Spennymoor Town for a chance to go one game away from the First Round Proper.
Macron Cup, 1st Round:
There’s more than one Liverpool derby to come on Saturday in the Macron Cup. Firstly, AFC Liverpool will battle South Liverpool at the latter’s Jericho Lane, due to AFC Liverpool’s groundshare with Bootle. Elsewhere, Litherland REMYCA will welcome NWCFL new boys MSB Woolton to the Litherland Sports Park, with the away side making their Macron Cup bow.
Also making their debuts in this competition will be Fulwood Amateurs, of the First Division North, taking on divisional rivals Nelson at home.
In the First Division South, three newcomers will compete in the Macron Cup for the first time: Haughmond, second-bottom in the table, will travel away to Sandbach United; there’s Telford Town, who are flying this season in second place, who will welcome Wolves Sporting; and Wolves Casuals, who remain competitive in mid-table, will go on the road to Shawbury United.
There are a number of matches being contested between sides from the same division as one another.
For the Premier Division purists, there’s Cheadle Town against Glossop North End; Longridge Town against Barnoldswick Town; Pilkington against Atherton LR; and Stockport Town against Prestwich Heys.
Looking to the First Division North; Bacup Borough against AFC Blackpool; Darwen FC against Garstang; Squires Gate against Colne; and Thornton Cleveleys against Steeton.
And from the First Division South, there’s Allscott Heath against Alsager Town; Ashville against Foley Meir; Eccleshall against Market Drayton Town; Runcorn Town against Barnton; and Stafford Town against Cammell Laird 1907.
There are also some interesting inter-divisional clashes to sink your teeth into, two of which see First Division North teams welcome Premier Division outfit. Firstly, North bottom side Ashton Athletic will host FC St Helens, of the Premier Division. Elsewhere, Daisy Hill will welcome Prem play-off side Burscough.
There are two Prem sides at home this weekend too, who will welcome teams from the First Division South. West Didsbury & Chorlton, on something of an upswing in form right now, will have to contend with Cheadle Heath Nomads. And finally, newly relegated Wythenshawe, who are proving very hard to beat in the Prem this season, host mid-table South side New Mills.
Premier Division:
At the same time as all of these Macron Cup games will kick off on Saturday, at 3pm, there is one more match to mention. In the Premier Division, 10th placed Irlam, who’ve won four and lost four of their last eight games in all competitions, will welcome slightly better off Ramsbottom United: second in the table, unbeaten in six, having scored 24 goals in that time – an average of four per match.
Week 10: Preview
Fri 26th September 2025 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
Plenty of eyes will be on the NWCFL's last remaining FA Cup side on Saturday. Elsewhere, the Macron Cup is back! Let's see who's facing whom this weekend.
Friday:
Macron Cup, 1st Round:
Friday night will play host to three clashes in this season’s Macron Cup opening weekend, two of which will kick off at 19:45pm. One will be when First Division North mid-table outfit Ashton Town take on Premier Division strugglers City of Liverpool. At the same time, there will be a clash of First Division North promotion hopefuls as league-leading Droylsden take on fourth-placed Maine Road.
Then, at 8pm, twos sides from last season’s First Division North play-offs will go toe to toe at the Jim Fowler Memorial Stadium. Winners Euxton Villa, currently 19th in the Prem, will host Holker Old Boys, 8th in the North at the time of writing.
Saturday:
Emirates FA Cup, 3rd Qualifying Round:
Just one team from the NWCFL remains in English football’s oldest competition – Premier Division Chadderton. They’ve knocked off Stockport Town, Irlam, Bishop Auckland and FC United of Manchester to reach this point, and now they face National League North side Spennymoor Town for a chance to go one game away from the First Round Proper.
Macron Cup, 1st Round:
There’s more than one Liverpool derby to come on Saturday in the Macron Cup. Firstly, AFC Liverpool will battle South Liverpool at the latter’s Jericho Lane, due to AFC Liverpool’s groundshare with Bootle. Elsewhere, Litherland REMYCA will welcome NWCFL new boys MSB Woolton to the Litherland Sports Park, with the away side making their Macron Cup bow.
Also making their debuts in this competition will be Fulwood Amateurs, of the First Division North, taking on divisional rivals Nelson at home.
In the First Division South, three newcomers will compete in the Macron Cup for the first time: Haughmond, second-bottom in the table, will travel away to Sandbach United; there’s Telford Town, who are flying this season in second place, who will welcome Wolves Sporting; and Wolves Casuals, who remain competitive in mid-table, will go on the road to Shawbury United.
There are a number of matches being contested between sides from the same division as one another.
For the Premier Division purists, there’s Cheadle Town against Glossop North End; Longridge Town against Barnoldswick Town; Pilkington against Atherton LR; and Stockport Town against Prestwich Heys.
Looking to the First Division North; Bacup Borough against AFC Blackpool; Darwen FC against Garstang; Squires Gate against Colne; and Thornton Cleveleys against Steeton.
And from the First Division South, there’s Allscott Heath against Alsager Town; Ashville against Foley Meir; Eccleshall against Market Drayton Town; Runcorn Town against Barnton; and Stafford Town against Cammell Laird 1907.
There are also some interesting inter-divisional clashes to sink your teeth into, two of which see First Division North teams welcome Premier Division outfit. Firstly, North bottom side Ashton Athletic will host FC St Helens, of the Premier Division. Elsewhere, Daisy Hill will welcome Prem play-off side Burscough.
There are two Prem sides at home this weekend too, who will welcome teams from the First Division South. West Didsbury & Chorlton, on something of an upswing in form right now, will have to contend with Cheadle Heath Nomads. And finally, newly relegated Wythenshawe, who are proving very hard to beat in the Prem this season, host mid-table South side New Mills.
Premier Division:
At the same time as all of these Macron Cup games will kick off on Saturday, at 3pm, there is one more match to mention. In the Premier Division, 10th placed Irlam, who’ve won four and lost four of their last eight games in all competitions, will welcome slightly better off Ramsbottom United: second in the table, unbeaten in six, having scored 24 goals in that time – an average of four per match.
