Week 19: Preview
Fri 28th November 2025 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
There's nowhere better to be this weekend than at the home of a team in the NWCFL, with all the action taking place in the league competition itself. Let's see who is facing whom this weekend...
Friday:
Premier Division:
A full focus on what’s going on in the league this weekend, and there’s one of many Liverpool derbies taking place on Friday to start the weekend with a bang. FC St Helens might be able to see themselves back into the top five on home soil on Friday night, at least temporarily. If they can overcome bottom club Litherland REMYCA by a big enough margin. The visitors lost their 23rd match straight in midweek.
Saturday:
Premier Division:
After Friday, there’s a full fixture list of Prem action to sink your teeth into. Just like last weekend, the day’s early kick-off will see FC Isle of Man travel to the mainland, specifically to the Adie Moran Park, where mid-table Prestwich Heys will be waiting at 2pm.
Looking to the 3pm kick-offs, all of the top three, within two points of one another, will be in action. Leaders Ramsbottom United will welcome Irlam, who have recently muscled their way into the play-off places, and third-placed West Didsbury & Chorlton will also be at home to battle Charnock Richard. The only one of the top three on the road this weekend are second-placed Padiham, who will travel to Burscough – they’ve had one foot in the play-off door forma large part of the season until recent weeks, and might be a banana skin for the Storks.
Continuing to round out the top five are Wythenshawe, who will host for the third game running when Pilkington visit the Avensure Community Stadium – City of Liverpool were in their position last weekend, and were destroyed 11-1 by the Ammies. Speaking of City of Liverpool, they are on the road this weekend to face Barnoldswick Town, hoping to snap their five-losing streak and lick their wounds after last weekend’s crushing defeat.
Chadderton, currently eighth in the table, were the highlight of the Premier Division in midweek, holding table-topping Rammy to a 3-3 draw. Hoping to build on such a positive result, they will welcome the team directly below them in the table, South Liverpool. Both teams currently have 33 points to their name, but Chaddy’s goal difference exceeds that of South by a whopping 26!
Prestwich Heys are currently two points behind their visitors this weekend in Glossop North End, which means maximum points would see them leapfrog their opponents in the table. Glossop are hoping to make it six wins in seven, but even if they manage that, Heys will still have a whopping five games in hand on their opponents.
For the second weekend running, Atherton LR will meet Abbey Hey in the league, with Rovers having come away from the Abbey Stadium last Saturday with maximum points after a 2-1 win. Second-bottom Abbey will be thirsty for revenge. Elsewhere, a very positive four-points-from-six week for Cheadle Town will conclude with a tough test away at AFC Liverpool, with the hosts currently unbeaten in seven.
Euxton Villa scored a much-needed win last weekend by overcoming Charnock Richard last weekend on penalties in the Macron Cup, and they will hope to transfer that momentum into the Premier Division this Saturday when mid-table Glossop North End visit the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground. Last but not least, just two points separate 10th placed Stockport Town and 12th placed Longridge Town, with the latter travelling the former on Saturday, hoping to leapfrog their hosts.
First Division North:
There’s not quite a full house of fixtures to bring you from the First Division North, as second-bottom side Ashton Athletic’s hosting of Steeton has been pre-emptively postponed due to floodlight issues at Brocstedes Park.
There are still seven matches on show this Saturday, with new league leaders Ashton Town caught in a promotion six-pointer as they visit third-placed Darwen FC. Not to be outshined, recently deposed table-toppers Maghull will be on the road to contest a second top-four clash, as they meet Nelson at Little Wembley.
Bacup Borough are not in action this weekend, which means their standing in fifth place is at risk. Below them by just a point and separated by goal difference are three sides that will all host league matches this Saturday. Droylsden will welcome Fulwood Amatuers at the Butchers Arms; AFC Blackpool will be visited by Colne at the Mechanics Ground; and Daisy Hill will host Thornton Cleveleys at the Ginge Power Stadium.
Due to MSB Woolton not featuring this weekend and Ashton’s postponed match, Maine Road are in no danger of dropping into the relegation places when they travel to the Riverside to meet bottom side Garstang. The hosts could jump to 17th with a win, while the visitors could climb as high as 11th. Hoping to ensure Road can’t overtake them will be Squires Gate, who won their first game in seven last time they played (two weeks ago), and will visit mid-table Holker Old Boys on Saturday afternoon.
First Division South:
A full nine games coming at you on Saturday from the First Division South. Runaway leaders Runcorn Town regained their momentum in midweek against Allscott Heath after a crushing 4-0 defeat against Telford Town in the Macron Cup last weekend. On Saturday, they meet 16th placed Wolves Casuals at Brinsford Stadium.
Telford Town capitalised on that defeat of Runcorn by overcoming Stockport Georgians in midweek, and will look to capitalise further when they travel to relegation-zone occupiers Shawbury United on Saturday. Meanwhile, Allscott Heath will hope to recover from that midweek loss to the league leaders by recording their first win in four when they welcome New Mills to The Giant Stadium.
There’s a clash between second placed and second bottom on Saturday, as Eccleshall, a comfortable four points ahead of the rest of the chasing pack, will host Haughmond, who are coming into this one having lost all of their last five. The only team keeping the Mond off the foot of the table are Wolves Sporting, who also feature on Saturday away at Cammell Laird 1907.
There’s another six-pointer taking place right on the precipice of the play-off picture. In what could transpire to be the game of the weekend, fifth placed Sandbach United, who’ve failed to win in their last three, will host Stockport Georgians, themselves on a winless run of two games. The winner gets a place in the top five, for now, but a draw might give Stafford Town a chance to sneak into the play-off places themselves, as they look to take maximum points from a home meeting with Alsager Town.
Also harbouring hopes of a spot in the play-offs are Foley Meir, who’ve quietly levelled their points total to that of Stafford Town. They could go sixth and outside of the top five on goal difference alone with a win over Cheadle Heath Nomads at home, and favourable results elsewhere.
Barnton are the final piece of the play-off puzzle right now, comfortable in third, and they can further solidify that status with a sixth win in nine when they travel to Market Drayton Town, who scored a much-needed win over Wolves Sporting last time out.
Week 19: Preview
Fri 28th November 2025 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
There's nowhere better to be this weekend than at the home of a team in the NWCFL, with all the action taking place in the league competition itself. Let's see who is facing whom this weekend...
Friday:
Premier Division:
A full focus on what’s going on in the league this weekend, and there’s one of many Liverpool derbies taking place on Friday to start the weekend with a bang. FC St Helens might be able to see themselves back into the top five on home soil on Friday night, at least temporarily. If they can overcome bottom club Litherland REMYCA by a big enough margin. The visitors lost their 23rd match straight in midweek.
Saturday:
Premier Division:
After Friday, there’s a full fixture list of Prem action to sink your teeth into. Just like last weekend, the day’s early kick-off will see FC Isle of Man travel to the mainland, specifically to the Adie Moran Park, where mid-table Prestwich Heys will be waiting at 2pm.
Looking to the 3pm kick-offs, all of the top three, within two points of one another, will be in action. Leaders Ramsbottom United will welcome Irlam, who have recently muscled their way into the play-off places, and third-placed West Didsbury & Chorlton will also be at home to battle Charnock Richard. The only one of the top three on the road this weekend are second-placed Padiham, who will travel to Burscough – they’ve had one foot in the play-off door forma large part of the season until recent weeks, and might be a banana skin for the Storks.
Continuing to round out the top five are Wythenshawe, who will host for the third game running when Pilkington visit the Avensure Community Stadium – City of Liverpool were in their position last weekend, and were destroyed 11-1 by the Ammies. Speaking of City of Liverpool, they are on the road this weekend to face Barnoldswick Town, hoping to snap their five-losing streak and lick their wounds after last weekend’s crushing defeat.
Chadderton, currently eighth in the table, were the highlight of the Premier Division in midweek, holding table-topping Rammy to a 3-3 draw. Hoping to build on such a positive result, they will welcome the team directly below them in the table, South Liverpool. Both teams currently have 33 points to their name, but Chaddy’s goal difference exceeds that of South by a whopping 26!
Prestwich Heys are currently two points behind their visitors this weekend in Glossop North End, which means maximum points would see them leapfrog their opponents in the table. Glossop are hoping to make it six wins in seven, but even if they manage that, Heys will still have a whopping five games in hand on their opponents.
For the second weekend running, Atherton LR will meet Abbey Hey in the league, with Rovers having come away from the Abbey Stadium last Saturday with maximum points after a 2-1 win. Second-bottom Abbey will be thirsty for revenge. Elsewhere, a very positive four-points-from-six week for Cheadle Town will conclude with a tough test away at AFC Liverpool, with the hosts currently unbeaten in seven.
Euxton Villa scored a much-needed win last weekend by overcoming Charnock Richard last weekend on penalties in the Macron Cup, and they will hope to transfer that momentum into the Premier Division this Saturday when mid-table Glossop North End visit the Jim Fowler Memorial Ground. Last but not least, just two points separate 10th placed Stockport Town and 12th placed Longridge Town, with the latter travelling the former on Saturday, hoping to leapfrog their hosts.
First Division North:
There’s not quite a full house of fixtures to bring you from the First Division North, as second-bottom side Ashton Athletic’s hosting of Steeton has been pre-emptively postponed due to floodlight issues at Brocstedes Park.
There are still seven matches on show this Saturday, with new league leaders Ashton Town caught in a promotion six-pointer as they visit third-placed Darwen FC. Not to be outshined, recently deposed table-toppers Maghull will be on the road to contest a second top-four clash, as they meet Nelson at Little Wembley.
Bacup Borough are not in action this weekend, which means their standing in fifth place is at risk. Below them by just a point and separated by goal difference are three sides that will all host league matches this Saturday. Droylsden will welcome Fulwood Amatuers at the Butchers Arms; AFC Blackpool will be visited by Colne at the Mechanics Ground; and Daisy Hill will host Thornton Cleveleys at the Ginge Power Stadium.
Due to MSB Woolton not featuring this weekend and Ashton’s postponed match, Maine Road are in no danger of dropping into the relegation places when they travel to the Riverside to meet bottom side Garstang. The hosts could jump to 17th with a win, while the visitors could climb as high as 11th. Hoping to ensure Road can’t overtake them will be Squires Gate, who won their first game in seven last time they played (two weeks ago), and will visit mid-table Holker Old Boys on Saturday afternoon.
First Division South:
A full nine games coming at you on Saturday from the First Division South. Runaway leaders Runcorn Town regained their momentum in midweek against Allscott Heath after a crushing 4-0 defeat against Telford Town in the Macron Cup last weekend. On Saturday, they meet 16th placed Wolves Casuals at Brinsford Stadium.
Telford Town capitalised on that defeat of Runcorn by overcoming Stockport Georgians in midweek, and will look to capitalise further when they travel to relegation-zone occupiers Shawbury United on Saturday. Meanwhile, Allscott Heath will hope to recover from that midweek loss to the league leaders by recording their first win in four when they welcome New Mills to The Giant Stadium.
There’s a clash between second placed and second bottom on Saturday, as Eccleshall, a comfortable four points ahead of the rest of the chasing pack, will host Haughmond, who are coming into this one having lost all of their last five. The only team keeping the Mond off the foot of the table are Wolves Sporting, who also feature on Saturday away at Cammell Laird 1907.
There’s another six-pointer taking place right on the precipice of the play-off picture. In what could transpire to be the game of the weekend, fifth placed Sandbach United, who’ve failed to win in their last three, will host Stockport Georgians, themselves on a winless run of two games. The winner gets a place in the top five, for now, but a draw might give Stafford Town a chance to sneak into the play-off places themselves, as they look to take maximum points from a home meeting with Alsager Town.
Also harbouring hopes of a spot in the play-offs are Foley Meir, who’ve quietly levelled their points total to that of Stafford Town. They could go sixth and outside of the top five on goal difference alone with a win over Cheadle Heath Nomads at home, and favourable results elsewhere.
Barnton are the final piece of the play-off puzzle right now, comfortable in third, and they can further solidify that status with a sixth win in nine when they travel to Market Drayton Town, who scored a much-needed win over Wolves Sporting last time out.
