Week 29: Preview
Fri 6th February 2026 | Match Previews | By Jay Cooper
It’s FA Vase time! Wembley waits for two sides – may as well make it two NWCFL sides! Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…
Saturday:
Isuzu FA Vase, fifth round:
Two games, for two teams from the NWCFL left in this nationwide competition. Both will commence at 3pm – one home, one away.
First Division North side will Droylsden go on the road to Midland League side Bilston Town; and Premier Division outfit West Didsbury & Chorlton will welcome other Midlands side, and last season’s First Division South champions, Winsford United, to the Step Places Stadium.
Premier Division:
Without West in league action, there’s still 11 matches from the Prem to bring your way.
After back-to-back games against Prestwich Heys in the last seven days, league leaders Wythenshawe have amassed an almighty 10-point cushion over the chasing pack. They have a tough task this weekend, travelling to unbeaten-in-nine Burscough, whilst Heys have something altogether different to deal with as they accommodate Irlam.
Second in the table right now are Ramsbottom United, who have two games in hand on Wythy, and will still have two games in hand on Wythy after this weekend. They’ll have to keep the pressure on with a solid performance against Charnock Richard away from home. Just two points behind Rammy, hoping to reclaim second place are Padiham, who can take a step in the right direction of that goal with victory over Chadderton at the Ruby Civil Arena on Saturday.
With the right set of results this weekend, eighth placed FC St Helens have the chance to make the jump all the way into the top five, but they’ll have to come out victorious in a Liverpool derby of sorts as they host 15th placed AFC Liverpool.
At the other end of the table, there’s still just two points between Abbey Hey in the safety places, and City of Liverpool in the relegation zone. This weekend, Abbey will host Barnoldswick Town aiming to avoid a seventh straight defeat, whilst the Purps will go on the road to mid-table Atherton LR.
Longridge Town were the story of midweek in the Prem after their impressive 5-2 away victory at Barlick, and they will look follow that up with a win over five-defeats-in-six South Liverpool away from home this Saturday.
Cheadle Town snapped a three-game losing streak last time out with a hectic 4-2 victory at home against South Liverpool. They will be on their travels for their next three league games from this point, with the first being a trip to the Asgard Engineering Stadium to meet Glossop North End this Saturday.
Stockport Town have played more league games than any other side in the Prem this season, with 34 on the board, and that will become 35 this Saturday as they host 21st placed Pilkington.
Euxton Villa will be subject to the day’s late kick-off as they go away from the mainland to meet FC Isle of Man, who are just one victory away from levelling their points total to that of their visitors this weekend.
First Division North:
Surprise, surprise! The title race in the First Division North is still anyone’s to win. New leaders Droylsden are pre-occupied with the Vase on Saturday, which leaves the door open for second and third sides MSB Woolton and Bacup Borough to sneak into top spot. The former are away at Colne, and the latter will host Maghull at 3pm.
If both sides fail to win, either of Blackpool-based Thornton Cleveleys in fourth, or Squires Gate in fifth, could take advantage and jump all the way into the driving seat in the league table. Cleveleys have the harder obstacle to overcome on paper as they welcome eighth placed Darwen FC to Gamble Road, whereas Gate will go on their travels to do battle with bottom club Ashton Athletic.
Every club from sixth to ninth will have the chance this weekend to stamp their presence into the play-off places, provided results go their way. Two of those sides are Maghull and Darwen, but the other two are Nelson, who have a home game this Saturday against third-bottom Maine Road; and Ashton Town, who will be away from home to face Fulwood Amateurs, who are three points and two places behind them at time of writing.
Further down the division, 13th meets 14th at the Mechanics Ground, as AFC Blackpool welcome Daisy Hill to the west coast; and second bottom Garstang will hope to extend the gap between themselves and the foot of the division beyond a point with a visit to 12th placed Steeton.
First Division South:
After a midweek victory over Allscott Heath, second-placed Eccleshall have cut the gap between themselves and table-toppers Runcorn Town to six points. If fortune favours them, that gap can be marginalised even further this weekend as they visit 10th placed Foley Meir, whilst Runcorn host 16th placed Alsager Town. Heath, meanwhile, will aim to right the ship with an away trip to Ashville.
The teams that currently feature in the play-off places are very much subject to change ahead of the weekend. For both Telford Town in fourth and Stafford Town in fifth, it’s in their own hands as the former welcome New Mills to the DRM Aggregate Arena, and the latter accommodate Cheadle Heath Nomads at Evans Park.
Given the absence of third-placed Stockport Georgians from Saturday’s fixture list, the door is open for sixth-placed Sandbach United to sneak in and steal a place in the top five when they play hosts to functionally bottom side Haughmond.
There’s a six-pointer on the cards on Saturday as far as the relegation battle is concerned in the South, as 17th placed Shawbury United, currently below the dotted line by just two points, welcome one of the two teams within touching distance in the division to their Sports and Rec Centre – Wolves Casuals.
A Casuals victory could spell bad news for Market Drayton Town, who are just three points better off in the table and are fighting to avoid being sucked into the battle against the drop. Their task this weekend is not an inconsiderable one, as the go away from home to meet seventh-placed Barnton at the Creative Hut Stadium.
Week 29: Preview
Fri 6th February 2026 | Match Previews
By Jay Cooper
It’s FA Vase time! Wembley waits for two sides – may as well make it two NWCFL sides! Let’s see who is facing whom this weekend…
Saturday:
Isuzu FA Vase, fifth round:
Two games, for two teams from the NWCFL left in this nationwide competition. Both will commence at 3pm – one home, one away.
First Division North side will Droylsden go on the road to Midland League side Bilston Town; and Premier Division outfit West Didsbury & Chorlton will welcome other Midlands side, and last season’s First Division South champions, Winsford United, to the Step Places Stadium.
Premier Division:
Without West in league action, there’s still 11 matches from the Prem to bring your way.
After back-to-back games against Prestwich Heys in the last seven days, league leaders Wythenshawe have amassed an almighty 10-point cushion over the chasing pack. They have a tough task this weekend, travelling to unbeaten-in-nine Burscough, whilst Heys have something altogether different to deal with as they accommodate Irlam.
Second in the table right now are Ramsbottom United, who have two games in hand on Wythy, and will still have two games in hand on Wythy after this weekend. They’ll have to keep the pressure on with a solid performance against Charnock Richard away from home. Just two points behind Rammy, hoping to reclaim second place are Padiham, who can take a step in the right direction of that goal with victory over Chadderton at the Ruby Civil Arena on Saturday.
With the right set of results this weekend, eighth placed FC St Helens have the chance to make the jump all the way into the top five, but they’ll have to come out victorious in a Liverpool derby of sorts as they host 15th placed AFC Liverpool.
At the other end of the table, there’s still just two points between Abbey Hey in the safety places, and City of Liverpool in the relegation zone. This weekend, Abbey will host Barnoldswick Town aiming to avoid a seventh straight defeat, whilst the Purps will go on the road to mid-table Atherton LR.
Longridge Town were the story of midweek in the Prem after their impressive 5-2 away victory at Barlick, and they will look follow that up with a win over five-defeats-in-six South Liverpool away from home this Saturday.
Cheadle Town snapped a three-game losing streak last time out with a hectic 4-2 victory at home against South Liverpool. They will be on their travels for their next three league games from this point, with the first being a trip to the Asgard Engineering Stadium to meet Glossop North End this Saturday.
Stockport Town have played more league games than any other side in the Prem this season, with 34 on the board, and that will become 35 this Saturday as they host 21st placed Pilkington.
Euxton Villa will be subject to the day’s late kick-off as they go away from the mainland to meet FC Isle of Man, who are just one victory away from levelling their points total to that of their visitors this weekend.
First Division North:
Surprise, surprise! The title race in the First Division North is still anyone’s to win. New leaders Droylsden are pre-occupied with the Vase on Saturday, which leaves the door open for second and third sides MSB Woolton and Bacup Borough to sneak into top spot. The former are away at Colne, and the latter will host Maghull at 3pm.
If both sides fail to win, either of Blackpool-based Thornton Cleveleys in fourth, or Squires Gate in fifth, could take advantage and jump all the way into the driving seat in the league table. Cleveleys have the harder obstacle to overcome on paper as they welcome eighth placed Darwen FC to Gamble Road, whereas Gate will go on their travels to do battle with bottom club Ashton Athletic.
Every club from sixth to ninth will have the chance this weekend to stamp their presence into the play-off places, provided results go their way. Two of those sides are Maghull and Darwen, but the other two are Nelson, who have a home game this Saturday against third-bottom Maine Road; and Ashton Town, who will be away from home to face Fulwood Amateurs, who are three points and two places behind them at time of writing.
Further down the division, 13th meets 14th at the Mechanics Ground, as AFC Blackpool welcome Daisy Hill to the west coast; and second bottom Garstang will hope to extend the gap between themselves and the foot of the division beyond a point with a visit to 12th placed Steeton.
First Division South:
After a midweek victory over Allscott Heath, second-placed Eccleshall have cut the gap between themselves and table-toppers Runcorn Town to six points. If fortune favours them, that gap can be marginalised even further this weekend as they visit 10th placed Foley Meir, whilst Runcorn host 16th placed Alsager Town. Heath, meanwhile, will aim to right the ship with an away trip to Ashville.
The teams that currently feature in the play-off places are very much subject to change ahead of the weekend. For both Telford Town in fourth and Stafford Town in fifth, it’s in their own hands as the former welcome New Mills to the DRM Aggregate Arena, and the latter accommodate Cheadle Heath Nomads at Evans Park.
Given the absence of third-placed Stockport Georgians from Saturday’s fixture list, the door is open for sixth-placed Sandbach United to sneak in and steal a place in the top five when they play hosts to functionally bottom side Haughmond.
There’s a six-pointer on the cards on Saturday as far as the relegation battle is concerned in the South, as 17th placed Shawbury United, currently below the dotted line by just two points, welcome one of the two teams within touching distance in the division to their Sports and Rec Centre – Wolves Casuals.
A Casuals victory could spell bad news for Market Drayton Town, who are just three points better off in the table and are fighting to avoid being sucked into the battle against the drop. Their task this weekend is not an inconsiderable one, as the go away from home to meet seventh-placed Barnton at the Creative Hut Stadium.
