Week 36: Review
Mon 30th March 2026 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper
A near-full house of NWCFL fixtures have been and gone this past weekend, with potential title AND relegation confirmations to discuss. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.
Saturday:
Premier Division:
It took the majority of the match, but league leaders Wythenshawe got the job done away at Cheadle Town on Saturday, winning 1-0 thanks to a sole Samuel Adewusi strike.
They retain their place atop the tree for now, but Ramsbottom United have not given up the chase. They also recorded maximum points on Saturday with a first-half blitz that put Pilkington to the sword by a 5-0 scoreline.
Atherton LR recorded a massive win in their momentous play-off push this past weekend. They went to the home of then-third placed side Chadderton, and, one 3-0 victory later, left the Emplas Commercial North Stadium having leapfrogged their hosts in the standings.
Padiham made it three from four in terms of wins for the teams inside the play-off places on Saturday. They continued to fend off the chasing pack with a gritty 1-0 home win against mid-table Stockport Town, thanks to a Joel Brownhill penalty.
That victory does not take the pressure off the Storks, though. Sixth placed Irlam remain just a point behind the top five after Saturday, following a dominant 4-1 home win against Longridge Town. Added to that, seventh placed Prestwich Heys kept the buffer between themselves and the play-off spots at six points with their ninth straight league win – 1-0 at home against FC St Helens.
Eighth placed West Didsbury & Chorlton were unable to course correct on Saturday after two straight defeats to fellow promotion hopefuls. Elliot Taylor was the man of the moment for AFC Liverpool this weekend, bagging three as his side managed a 4-1 home win over West.
Burscough gave their fans plenty to cheer about at the Community Ground this weekend, and despite not moving up the table, they were still the victors of a goal-laden game, beating now-20th placed side Barnoldswick Town 4-2.
The third and final team to score four in a home win on Saturday were 12th placed Charnock Richard, who arguably went one better than AFC Liverpool and Burscough in that regard by pitching a shutout against South Liverpool. Jordan Darr was a hat-trick hero for the hosts in a 4-0 romp.
In a tense mid-table battle, 15th placed Glossop North End thought they’d got the job done at home to 18th placed Euxton Villa thanks to a 79th minute Jordan Schofield penalty, but the visitors stole a point in the final moments of the game through Jordan Bentham to secure a 1-1 draw.
Towards the foot of the table, second-bottom Litherland REMYCA gave themselves a very small boost towards potential safety in a back-and-forth 2-2 draw with fourth-bottom Abbey Hey on home soil.
Finally, the nails were beaten into the coffin for bottom club City of Liverpool in the day’s late kick-off, as FC Isle of Man dismissed them 3-1 to climb to 19th in the table, and officially condemn their visitors to a second straight relegation with four games left for them to play.
First Division North:
This weekend’s results mean that there is daylight between the top two in the North. Despite conceding within 60 seconds away at Thornton Cleveleys, table-topping Nelson were able to come away from Gamble Road with a 3-1 victory, and, more importantly, three points.
The same could not be said for second-placed Droylsden, who remain second despite dropping points in a 1-1 away draw with fifth placed Squires Gate. The Bloods are by no means out of the title race just yet, but they now have a four-point gap to make up on Nelson.
Gate’s dropping of points to Droylsden has had a detrimental effect on their own promotion push, as they slipped from third to fifth this weekend following victories for two of their rivals. Now-third placed Maghull scored a 4-0home win over second-bottom Garstang, aided in part by a Nathan Peet brace; and now-fourth placed MSB Woolton overcame sixth placed Darwen FC at home, with Ethan Danku scoring in thew 96th minute to secure a 2-1 win.
Despite still having games in hand on every team above them, eighth placed Holker Old Boys had their dark horse play-off contender status shaken by a 1-0 home defeat on Saturday to now-ninth placed Ashton Town.
Bacup Borough had their own slender hopes of a late play-offs surge going into Saturday’s hosting of AFC Blackpool, but they came away from that game with those hopes having taken an almighty hit. A sole Dominic Ritchie goal was the difference on the day, as the visiting Mechanics won 1-0.
Not many would’ve expected 13th placed Steeton and bottom side Maine Road to contend the weekend’s most goal-heavy game on Saturday, but lo and behold, a Lewis Gartland hat-trick and Cooper Collins brace for the Chevrons helped them to a 5-2 home victory.
Ashton Athletic gave their survival chances a slight boost on Saturday. Their 2-2 draw with 11th placed Fulwood Amateurs at Brocstedes Park has taken them to within a point of the safety places in the division.
The team being slowly caught up to by Athletic are fourth-bottom Colne, who were unable to take anything from their hosting of mid-table Daisy Hill on Saturday. Max Bardsley-Rowe scored twice as the visitors ran out 4-2 winners from the Haffners Eats Stadium.
First Division South:
It was in the hands of Runcorn Town before kick-off on Saturday – victory over Cheadle Heath Nomads would secure the First Division South league title. And yet, they fell ever so slightly short. A second half Hal McHugh goal for Nomads delayed the inevitable, and the game finished 1-1, meaning Town must wait until at least Tuesday for the trophy.
Eccleshall also had to win to stop Runcorn’s coronation happening on Saturday, and they did manage to win, but not without a fight. It took 89 minutes for the second placed side to break down Sandbach United away from home, but they eventually came away with a 2-0 victory.
Third-bottom Shawbury United certainly looked like underdogs on paper as they welcome third placed Stockport Georgians to their Community Sports and Rec Centre, but they took the lead and eventually managed a draw against the play-off contenders to double the points difference between themselves and the drop zone.
This extending of the gap was made possible by second-bottom Alsager Town failing to take anything away from their away trip to seventh placed Telford Town. Despite also striking first in the game through Daniel Guiver, they were subject to a comeback defeat at the hands of their hosts, losing 2-1 and remaining in the relegation zone.
There was a sombre feel around the Ray Parker Stadium on Saturday, as hosts Ashville and Market Drayton Town observed a minute’s silence before kick-off to commemorate the life of Ashville co-founder John Denett, who passed just over a week ago, aged 101. Peter Morgan did John proud on the day, scoring twice to secure a 2-0 win for the hosts.
Like Ashville, New Mills have maintained their place in the top five after Saturday’s fixtures, pulling out all the stops and securing a 4-2 victory over ninth placed Barnton on home soil, aided by a Saul Henderson assist.
Neither side in fourth or fifth are safe in the play-off spots though, by any means. Especially not after sixth placed Stafford Town also claimed maximum points this weekend, seeing off 12th placed Wolves Casuals 2-1 at home.
Finally, Foley Meir and Cammell Laird 1907, who began the weekend on 32 points each, finished the weekend on 33 after playing out a 2-2 draw at the Trantham Foods Stadium, where the visitors begged the equaliser through Adam Smith with a minute of normal time to play.
Week 36: Review
Mon 30th March 2026 | Match Reviews
By Jay Cooper
A near-full house of NWCFL fixtures have been and gone this past weekend, with potential title AND relegation confirmations to discuss. Let's run through the best and worst of what the last couple of days have had to offer.
Saturday:
Premier Division:
It took the majority of the match, but league leaders Wythenshawe got the job done away at Cheadle Town on Saturday, winning 1-0 thanks to a sole Samuel Adewusi strike.
They retain their place atop the tree for now, but Ramsbottom United have not given up the chase. They also recorded maximum points on Saturday with a first-half blitz that put Pilkington to the sword by a 5-0 scoreline.
Atherton LR recorded a massive win in their momentous play-off push this past weekend. They went to the home of then-third placed side Chadderton, and, one 3-0 victory later, left the Emplas Commercial North Stadium having leapfrogged their hosts in the standings.
Padiham made it three from four in terms of wins for the teams inside the play-off places on Saturday. They continued to fend off the chasing pack with a gritty 1-0 home win against mid-table Stockport Town, thanks to a Joel Brownhill penalty.
That victory does not take the pressure off the Storks, though. Sixth placed Irlam remain just a point behind the top five after Saturday, following a dominant 4-1 home win against Longridge Town. Added to that, seventh placed Prestwich Heys kept the buffer between themselves and the play-off spots at six points with their ninth straight league win – 1-0 at home against FC St Helens.
Eighth placed West Didsbury & Chorlton were unable to course correct on Saturday after two straight defeats to fellow promotion hopefuls. Elliot Taylor was the man of the moment for AFC Liverpool this weekend, bagging three as his side managed a 4-1 home win over West.
Burscough gave their fans plenty to cheer about at the Community Ground this weekend, and despite not moving up the table, they were still the victors of a goal-laden game, beating now-20th placed side Barnoldswick Town 4-2.
The third and final team to score four in a home win on Saturday were 12th placed Charnock Richard, who arguably went one better than AFC Liverpool and Burscough in that regard by pitching a shutout against South Liverpool. Jordan Darr was a hat-trick hero for the hosts in a 4-0 romp.
In a tense mid-table battle, 15th placed Glossop North End thought they’d got the job done at home to 18th placed Euxton Villa thanks to a 79th minute Jordan Schofield penalty, but the visitors stole a point in the final moments of the game through Jordan Bentham to secure a 1-1 draw.
Towards the foot of the table, second-bottom Litherland REMYCA gave themselves a very small boost towards potential safety in a back-and-forth 2-2 draw with fourth-bottom Abbey Hey on home soil.
Finally, the nails were beaten into the coffin for bottom club City of Liverpool in the day’s late kick-off, as FC Isle of Man dismissed them 3-1 to climb to 19th in the table, and officially condemn their visitors to a second straight relegation with four games left for them to play.
First Division North:
This weekend’s results mean that there is daylight between the top two in the North. Despite conceding within 60 seconds away at Thornton Cleveleys, table-topping Nelson were able to come away from Gamble Road with a 3-1 victory, and, more importantly, three points.
The same could not be said for second-placed Droylsden, who remain second despite dropping points in a 1-1 away draw with fifth placed Squires Gate. The Bloods are by no means out of the title race just yet, but they now have a four-point gap to make up on Nelson.
Gate’s dropping of points to Droylsden has had a detrimental effect on their own promotion push, as they slipped from third to fifth this weekend following victories for two of their rivals. Now-third placed Maghull scored a 4-0home win over second-bottom Garstang, aided in part by a Nathan Peet brace; and now-fourth placed MSB Woolton overcame sixth placed Darwen FC at home, with Ethan Danku scoring in thew 96th minute to secure a 2-1 win.
Despite still having games in hand on every team above them, eighth placed Holker Old Boys had their dark horse play-off contender status shaken by a 1-0 home defeat on Saturday to now-ninth placed Ashton Town.
Bacup Borough had their own slender hopes of a late play-offs surge going into Saturday’s hosting of AFC Blackpool, but they came away from that game with those hopes having taken an almighty hit. A sole Dominic Ritchie goal was the difference on the day, as the visiting Mechanics won 1-0.
Not many would’ve expected 13th placed Steeton and bottom side Maine Road to contend the weekend’s most goal-heavy game on Saturday, but lo and behold, a Lewis Gartland hat-trick and Cooper Collins brace for the Chevrons helped them to a 5-2 home victory.
Ashton Athletic gave their survival chances a slight boost on Saturday. Their 2-2 draw with 11th placed Fulwood Amateurs at Brocstedes Park has taken them to within a point of the safety places in the division.
The team being slowly caught up to by Athletic are fourth-bottom Colne, who were unable to take anything from their hosting of mid-table Daisy Hill on Saturday. Max Bardsley-Rowe scored twice as the visitors ran out 4-2 winners from the Haffners Eats Stadium.
First Division South:
It was in the hands of Runcorn Town before kick-off on Saturday – victory over Cheadle Heath Nomads would secure the First Division South league title. And yet, they fell ever so slightly short. A second half Hal McHugh goal for Nomads delayed the inevitable, and the game finished 1-1, meaning Town must wait until at least Tuesday for the trophy.
Eccleshall also had to win to stop Runcorn’s coronation happening on Saturday, and they did manage to win, but not without a fight. It took 89 minutes for the second placed side to break down Sandbach United away from home, but they eventually came away with a 2-0 victory.
Third-bottom Shawbury United certainly looked like underdogs on paper as they welcome third placed Stockport Georgians to their Community Sports and Rec Centre, but they took the lead and eventually managed a draw against the play-off contenders to double the points difference between themselves and the drop zone.
This extending of the gap was made possible by second-bottom Alsager Town failing to take anything away from their away trip to seventh placed Telford Town. Despite also striking first in the game through Daniel Guiver, they were subject to a comeback defeat at the hands of their hosts, losing 2-1 and remaining in the relegation zone.
There was a sombre feel around the Ray Parker Stadium on Saturday, as hosts Ashville and Market Drayton Town observed a minute’s silence before kick-off to commemorate the life of Ashville co-founder John Denett, who passed just over a week ago, aged 101. Peter Morgan did John proud on the day, scoring twice to secure a 2-0 win for the hosts.
Like Ashville, New Mills have maintained their place in the top five after Saturday’s fixtures, pulling out all the stops and securing a 4-2 victory over ninth placed Barnton on home soil, aided by a Saul Henderson assist.
Neither side in fourth or fifth are safe in the play-off spots though, by any means. Especially not after sixth placed Stafford Town also claimed maximum points this weekend, seeing off 12th placed Wolves Casuals 2-1 at home.
Finally, Foley Meir and Cammell Laird 1907, who began the weekend on 32 points each, finished the weekend on 33 after playing out a 2-2 draw at the Trantham Foods Stadium, where the visitors begged the equaliser through Adam Smith with a minute of normal time to play.
