Gameweek 20: Review

Mon 9th December 2024 | Match Reviews | By Jay Cooper

Not exactly spoiled for choice this weekend, were we? There were just two games from the NWCFL this past weekend (thanks, Storm Darragh), so let’s get into it, shall we?

Premier Division:

Bury 4-0 Colne

In an alternate timeline, this match would have been top of the league versus bottom of the league. However, a recent Colne resurgence combined with Bury finally falling to defeat in the league this season makes it third versus second-bottom instead. Colne arrived to Gigg Lane knowing a win would take them another step closer to closing the gap on Squires Gate, and hosts Bury knew that a win would take them clear of Lower Breck in the play-off mix.

The Shakers started as the stronger of the two sides and took the lead after less than half an hour thanks to Bryan Ly. Colne ought to have been happy going into the break with just a 1-goal deficit to overcome, but that gap would widen over the course of the second half. Aaron Chalmers wasted little time after the break to double Bury’s advantage, Djavan Pedro sealed the win on the 53^rd minute with a third, and Sam Coughlan put the icing on the cake with a fourth just shy of 20 minutes from time.

Chadderton 4-2 Glossop North End

Chadderton made their temporary home at Avro’s Vestacare Stadium ahead of this weekend's clash with Glossop North End. Had they still been based at their Falcon Fire Stadium, perhaps this game would have gone the way of the rest of the games from the NWCFL. Instead, we got a 6-goal thriller to tuck into, with a heavy emphasis on the first-half action.

Lewis-Simon Byrne and Matty Crothers got Chaddy off to the best possible start, both scoring within the opening quarter of an hour, but Glossop halved the deficit just before the half hour mark through Tom Lawless, with his first goal of the afternoon. Chaddy soon reasserted themselves, with Byrne grabbing his second, and Robert Worrall added to their lead a minute before the break. In the second half, lawless grabbed North End’s second, but they were unable to climb the mountain they found themselves facing at half time. Chadderton remain second in the table, and Glossop keep their place in 18^th, level with 19^th placed Burscough.

All other scheduled matches for this past weekend involving NWCFL teams, in all competitions, were postponed.