Five Things We Learned 2024/25 - Gameweek 35
Thu 27th March 2025 | Five Things | By Jay Cooper
1. One play-off place remains in the Prem
Padiham recorded a 3-1 victory over Squires Gate on Saturday, taking their points tally for the season up to 83, from 42 games played. Whilst league leaders Bury are already on 97, which means the Storks have no mathematical chance at winning the title, 6th placed Irlam are on 70 from 42 games played, which means Michael Morrison’s men are safe in the top five.
The only team within reaching distance of Irlam and the rest of the chasing pack are 5th placed West Didsbury and Chorlton, currently with 74 points to their name. Paul Marshall’s men are certainly in the driving seat when it comes to who will snatch that final play-off place, but anything can happen during these final four games of the campaign.
2. Longridge ship a ton
There are two teams in the Premier Division this season that have scored over 100 goals in the league campaign – the top two sides, Bury and Lower Breck. Before last weekend, there was also a team who’d seen 100 goals scored against them in the league this season – now-bottom side Squires Gate. Gate now have company.
But not from any of the teams in their immediate vicinity in the league table. In fact, to see who this new team is that have now conceded 100 goals in the league, you’d have to scroll all the way up from 24th to 18th in the table, where you’d find Longridge Town. After Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to FC St Helens, Lee Ashcroft’s men now have “103 in the “GA” column. And yet, they’re a full 15 points better off than this season’s current relegation candidates.
3. Twists and turns at the bottom of the Prem
There was a real six-pointer this past weekend at Colne’s Haffners Stadium. The hosts welcomed then-bottom side Prestwich Heys for a 3pm kick-off, knowing that a win for either team would go a very long way to boosting both sides’ survival hopes.
Squires Gate, also in the relegation battle, were beaten at Padiham at the same time as this game was taking place, and it was visiting Heys who came away with the victory from this clash to leapfrog not just Gate, but Colne too, in one fell swoop. Two points now separate these three teams, with four games left to play – it truly is anyone’s race to win.
4. Holker and Villa one win away
We’re right in the thick of the business end of the season now, and with two of three relegation spots confirmed in the First Division North, the play-off places are now on the verge of being sewn up too.
Both Holker Old Boys and Euxton Villa drew 2-2 in games this past weekend, to Ashton Town and Bacup Borough respectively, and despite Darwen FC’s heroic victory over league-leading Nelson, the two sides above them in 4th and 5th are both merely a win from confirming their spot in the mini-tournament for promotion. There’s nearly nothing left to fight for in the North – after this, just the small matter of the league title will remain.
5. Thin gaps at the top and bottom of the South
Foley Meir faced Eccleshall in arguably this past weekends’ game of the day, with the latter having to constantly extend an early lead that they’d amassed due to Foley’s constant and unwavering fightback attempts. In the end, Liam Kelly’s side notched another three points after a breathless 4-3 win.
This result keeps Eccleshall in the running for a play-off spot, with the gap between themselves and Cheadle Heath Nomads in 5th staying at just one point, and means that the distance between Foley and the drop zone is now reduced to just one point thanks to Allscott Heath’s draw with Stafford Town on the same day.
Five Things We Learned 2024/25 - Gameweek 35
Thu 27th March 2025 | Five Things
By Jay Cooper
1. One play-off place remains in the Prem
Padiham recorded a 3-1 victory over Squires Gate on Saturday, taking their points tally for the season up to 83, from 42 games played. Whilst league leaders Bury are already on 97, which means the Storks have no mathematical chance at winning the title, 6th placed Irlam are on 70 from 42 games played, which means Michael Morrison’s men are safe in the top five.
The only team within reaching distance of Irlam and the rest of the chasing pack are 5th placed West Didsbury and Chorlton, currently with 74 points to their name. Paul Marshall’s men are certainly in the driving seat when it comes to who will snatch that final play-off place, but anything can happen during these final four games of the campaign.
2. Longridge ship a ton
There are two teams in the Premier Division this season that have scored over 100 goals in the league campaign – the top two sides, Bury and Lower Breck. Before last weekend, there was also a team who’d seen 100 goals scored against them in the league this season – now-bottom side Squires Gate. Gate now have company.
But not from any of the teams in their immediate vicinity in the league table. In fact, to see who this new team is that have now conceded 100 goals in the league, you’d have to scroll all the way up from 24th to 18th in the table, where you’d find Longridge Town. After Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to FC St Helens, Lee Ashcroft’s men now have “103 in the “GA” column. And yet, they’re a full 15 points better off than this season’s current relegation candidates.
3. Twists and turns at the bottom of the Prem
There was a real six-pointer this past weekend at Colne’s Haffners Stadium. The hosts welcomed then-bottom side Prestwich Heys for a 3pm kick-off, knowing that a win for either team would go a very long way to boosting both sides’ survival hopes.
Squires Gate, also in the relegation battle, were beaten at Padiham at the same time as this game was taking place, and it was visiting Heys who came away with the victory from this clash to leapfrog not just Gate, but Colne too, in one fell swoop. Two points now separate these three teams, with four games left to play – it truly is anyone’s race to win.
4. Holker and Villa one win away
We’re right in the thick of the business end of the season now, and with two of three relegation spots confirmed in the First Division North, the play-off places are now on the verge of being sewn up too.
Both Holker Old Boys and Euxton Villa drew 2-2 in games this past weekend, to Ashton Town and Bacup Borough respectively, and despite Darwen FC’s heroic victory over league-leading Nelson, the two sides above them in 4th and 5th are both merely a win from confirming their spot in the mini-tournament for promotion. There’s nearly nothing left to fight for in the North – after this, just the small matter of the league title will remain.
5. Thin gaps at the top and bottom of the South
Foley Meir faced Eccleshall in arguably this past weekends’ game of the day, with the latter having to constantly extend an early lead that they’d amassed due to Foley’s constant and unwavering fightback attempts. In the end, Liam Kelly’s side notched another three points after a breathless 4-3 win.
This result keeps Eccleshall in the running for a play-off spot, with the gap between themselves and Cheadle Heath Nomads in 5th staying at just one point, and means that the distance between Foley and the drop zone is now reduced to just one point thanks to Allscott Heath’s draw with Stafford Town on the same day.
