Week 35: Review
Mon 23rd March 2026 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper
With a near-full house of NWCFL fixtures having been and gone this past weekend, let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.
Saturday:
Premier Division:
All of the bottom four in the league played one another in some combination on Saturday, and both sets of winners had levelled their points tally to that of their vanquished by Sunday. Litherland REMYCA lifted themselves off the bottom of the division for the first time since the opening weeks of the season by overcoming new wooden spoon holders City of Liverpool 4-0 away from home. Meanwhile, third-bottom Abbey Hey are third-bottom no more after their 3-1 home victory against Pilkington, who they now eclipse in the standings on goal difference.
At the top of the tree, Wythenshawe retained their position a point beyond the chasing pack by surviving a late fightback away at Charnock Richard, winning 4-2 thanks in part to an Aaron Dwyer brace.
Second placed Ramsbottom United have maintained the pressure on the Ammies with three points of their own, dismissing third placed Chadderton 2-1 at home to extend the gap between themselves and their visitors to four points.
Irlam slipped out of the top five after the weekend’s results, following their 1-1 home draw with 17th placed Euxton Villa. A 2-1 away victory for Padiham, who began the day outside of the play-off places, has seen them retake a premier spot in the race for promotion as they knocked off West Didsbury & Chorlton.
Completing the play-off places right now are fourth placed Atherton LR, whose unbeaten run has been extended this weekend to a whopping 18 games with a 3-1 away win over Stockport Town.
In a similar vein, Prestwich Heys have now amassed an eight-game win streak and recorded a clean sheet to boot this weekend by turning over mid-table South Liverpool 2-0 on the road.
Ninth placed FC St Helens left it very late indeed to record maximum points on Saturday, with Dominic Hoppe popping up with a winner in the 92nd minute to help his side to a 2-1 home win against Longridge Town.
Victory for Barnoldswick Town this weekend has seen them eclipse 40 points in the Premier Division for the season, as they overcame 15th placed Glossop North End by a 3-1 scoreline on home soil to climb to 19th in the standings.
Other Scores:
AFC Liverpool 2-1 Burscough
FC Isle of Man 1-2 Cheadle Town
First Division North:
Droylsden simply refuse to be moved from the top of the table at this late stage of the season. After Saturday’s games, they remain a point ahead of the rest of their contemporaries, having recorded a 3-1 victory against relegation zone occupiers Ashton Athletic.
Third placed Squires Gate were the victors in this weekend’s Northwest coast derby, knocking off neighbours Thornton Cleveleys 2-1 away from home to preserve their spot in the top five.
The two sides from the greater Liverpool area who also began the day inside the play-off places were both able to record victories of their own, with fourth placed MSB Woolton overcoming Daisy Hill 3-0 on the road; and Maghull hanging on for the final three minutes to see off bottom side Maine Road, also away from home.
Darwen FC recorded their second win in a row on Saturday, coming from behind to record a 2-1 away victory over AFC Blackpool and climb back to sixth in the division, just two points off the play-off places.
Despite failing to win any of their last four ahead of the weekend, Bacup Borough went into Saturday just two points off the top five. However, they were unable to overturn their current barren run, suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Holker Old Boys, who have now usurped them in the league standings and might well be a potential dark horse for the play-offs at this stage.
Other scores:
Ashton Town 1-0 Garstang
Nelson 0-0 Colne
Fulwood Amateurs 0-2 Steeton
First Division South:
Despite not playing themselves, league leaders Runcorn Town benefited massively from the outcome of the battle between third and second at Gamble Road. Hosts Stockport Georgians came from behind twice to limit visiting Eccleshall to a 2-2 draw, which led to 14-point gap between the table-toppers and the rest of the division being established by the end of the week.
Allscott Heath, firmly entrenched in mid-table at this stage got away with an upset on paper this weekend, knocking off play-off chasing Ashville on home soil by a 3-1 scoreline, thanks in part to a Ben Davies brace.
Right below Allscott in the table remains Cheadle Heath Nomads after Saturday, as they survived a home scare to defeat Wolves Casuals. Two goals in as many minutes in the first half from Matthew Argent-Barnes and Daniel Lewis were enough to secure maximum points in a 2-1 win.
Barnton gave themselves an almighty boost in their quest to finish in the top half of the table this season, coming from behind in the second half to defeat Foley Meir 2-1 at the Trentham Foods Stadium – Harry Watson was the game-winning hero on 87 minutes.
The second half of the clash between Market Drayton Town and Telford Town was a breathless one. After a goalless first half, both teams turned it up to eleven in the second, but couldn’t be separated by full time, with the game ending 2-2.
Other scores:
Cammell Laird 1-0 Shawbury United
Haughmond A-A Alsager Town
New Mills 0-0 Stafford Town
Week 35: Review
Mon 23rd March 2026 | Match Reviews
By Jay Cooper
With a near-full house of NWCFL fixtures having been and gone this past weekend, let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.
Saturday:
Premier Division:
All of the bottom four in the league played one another in some combination on Saturday, and both sets of winners had levelled their points tally to that of their vanquished by Sunday. Litherland REMYCA lifted themselves off the bottom of the division for the first time since the opening weeks of the season by overcoming new wooden spoon holders City of Liverpool 4-0 away from home. Meanwhile, third-bottom Abbey Hey are third-bottom no more after their 3-1 home victory against Pilkington, who they now eclipse in the standings on goal difference.
At the top of the tree, Wythenshawe retained their position a point beyond the chasing pack by surviving a late fightback away at Charnock Richard, winning 4-2 thanks in part to an Aaron Dwyer brace.
Second placed Ramsbottom United have maintained the pressure on the Ammies with three points of their own, dismissing third placed Chadderton 2-1 at home to extend the gap between themselves and their visitors to four points.
Irlam slipped out of the top five after the weekend’s results, following their 1-1 home draw with 17th placed Euxton Villa. A 2-1 away victory for Padiham, who began the day outside of the play-off places, has seen them retake a premier spot in the race for promotion as they knocked off West Didsbury & Chorlton.
Completing the play-off places right now are fourth placed Atherton LR, whose unbeaten run has been extended this weekend to a whopping 18 games with a 3-1 away win over Stockport Town.
In a similar vein, Prestwich Heys have now amassed an eight-game win streak and recorded a clean sheet to boot this weekend by turning over mid-table South Liverpool 2-0 on the road.
Ninth placed FC St Helens left it very late indeed to record maximum points on Saturday, with Dominic Hoppe popping up with a winner in the 92nd minute to help his side to a 2-1 home win against Longridge Town.
Victory for Barnoldswick Town this weekend has seen them eclipse 40 points in the Premier Division for the season, as they overcame 15th placed Glossop North End by a 3-1 scoreline on home soil to climb to 19th in the standings.
Other Scores:
AFC Liverpool 2-1 Burscough
FC Isle of Man 1-2 Cheadle Town
First Division North:
Droylsden simply refuse to be moved from the top of the table at this late stage of the season. After Saturday’s games, they remain a point ahead of the rest of their contemporaries, having recorded a 3-1 victory against relegation zone occupiers Ashton Athletic.
Third placed Squires Gate were the victors in this weekend’s Northwest coast derby, knocking off neighbours Thornton Cleveleys 2-1 away from home to preserve their spot in the top five.
The two sides from the greater Liverpool area who also began the day inside the play-off places were both able to record victories of their own, with fourth placed MSB Woolton overcoming Daisy Hill 3-0 on the road; and Maghull hanging on for the final three minutes to see off bottom side Maine Road, also away from home.
Darwen FC recorded their second win in a row on Saturday, coming from behind to record a 2-1 away victory over AFC Blackpool and climb back to sixth in the division, just two points off the play-off places.
Despite failing to win any of their last four ahead of the weekend, Bacup Borough went into Saturday just two points off the top five. However, they were unable to overturn their current barren run, suffering a 3-0 defeat away to Holker Old Boys, who have now usurped them in the league standings and might well be a potential dark horse for the play-offs at this stage.
Other scores:
Ashton Town 1-0 Garstang
Nelson 0-0 Colne
Fulwood Amateurs 0-2 Steeton
First Division South:
Despite not playing themselves, league leaders Runcorn Town benefited massively from the outcome of the battle between third and second at Gamble Road. Hosts Stockport Georgians came from behind twice to limit visiting Eccleshall to a 2-2 draw, which led to 14-point gap between the table-toppers and the rest of the division being established by the end of the week.
Allscott Heath, firmly entrenched in mid-table at this stage got away with an upset on paper this weekend, knocking off play-off chasing Ashville on home soil by a 3-1 scoreline, thanks in part to a Ben Davies brace.
Right below Allscott in the table remains Cheadle Heath Nomads after Saturday, as they survived a home scare to defeat Wolves Casuals. Two goals in as many minutes in the first half from Matthew Argent-Barnes and Daniel Lewis were enough to secure maximum points in a 2-1 win.
Barnton gave themselves an almighty boost in their quest to finish in the top half of the table this season, coming from behind in the second half to defeat Foley Meir 2-1 at the Trentham Foods Stadium – Harry Watson was the game-winning hero on 87 minutes.
The second half of the clash between Market Drayton Town and Telford Town was a breathless one. After a goalless first half, both teams turned it up to eleven in the second, but couldn’t be separated by full time, with the game ending 2-2.
Other scores:
Cammell Laird 1-0 Shawbury United
Haughmond A-A Alsager Town
New Mills 0-0 Stafford Town
