21.03.2026 AFC Liverpool 2 - 1 Burscough FC NWCD1N

 Non League Reds Leave it Late

Today’s game saw me visit the non league reds, AFC Liverpool, who hosted Burscough. Both teams mingling in mid table towards the end of the season, Burscough with faint hopes of getting into the play offs. 

Game started end to end on a bobbly pitch with the first chance going to AFC with Moorecroft heading over from an early corner. Three minutes later Burscough's first chance came with number 8 Hamilton firing over from outside the box.

The dead lock was broken in the 13th min, good work down the right from Jones seen the ball worked into the box where Giblin made no mistake with a volley from close range.

 AFC were on top and a smart turn and shot from Taylor was deflected out for a corner. 

I

n a rare Burscough attack, Mukoko was brought down for a pen, Rigby stepped up to take and although his first shot was saved by Barnes, his follow up found the net. 

Rest of the first half was a battle in midfield with no clear cut chances until the 44th minute. Barnes miss-judged a cross leaving him stranded but Mukoko could only lift it onto the roof of the net with the goal gaping

Last action of the first half seen a long ball over the top by AFC, Taylor managed to beat the keeper to to hit his shot was blocked by Burscough McCullough to see it out for a corner.

Second half was a much tighter affair with very few chances . Barnes tipped Gregory's shot round the post early on. AFC  had a couple of chances fall to Jones but both shots well saved by Burscough keeper. 

With the game petering out to a draw, a late AFC free kick was fired into the box and 14 managed to steer home his header to give them the 3 points and the home crowd something to cheer about. 

In an even game AFC just above it shaved it and probably deserved the three points. Burscough's defeat all but ends their hopes of getting into the playoffs.

NWCD1N Ashton Athletic 2 - 2 Darwen 6/12/25

 Spoils shared in Ashton

On a sodden afternoon, I went to watch bottom of the league Ashton Athletic host high flying Darwen in the North West Counties Division 1 North.

Going off the table, this would of suggested a straight forward win for Darwen who sat in third place against a struggling Athletic who are 4 points adrift at the bottom of the league.

The opening minutes looked good for AA as the first chance fell to them. Good feet by Crompton made space for a shot which was tipped wide by Newns. The optimism didn't last long as from the corner, a long clearance upfield made its way to Darwen's Hepple who held off a few defenders and at the second attempt prodded it past the keeper to give the lead to the away team. 

Most of the second half was controlled by Darwen who had more chances to extend their lead. Hepple got his second in the 19th minute with a great finish into the bottom left corner after good work from Bruno to win the ball back in the middle of the pitch. 

Darwen continued to press and had more chances from Hepple, Langford and Abbot, but a combination of poor finishes and good goal keeping kept the score at 2-0 at the break. 

A subdued start to the second half saw Darwen keep creating chances with Wassa shooting wide from a corner . Ashton did begin to grown into the game and fashioned a chance themselves with Gill shooting just over after good play to get into that position. Darwen looked to kill the game off with a scramble in the box saw Abbot and then Zaffar spurn chances. 

In the 75th minute Ashton Athletic got a gift to get back into the game. A long ball up from the keeper was missed by the back 4 which seen sub Nicholson race on to it, round the keeper and tap into an empty net to give the home side some hope. Darwen responded straight away with a great chance from Zaffar just wide. 

Ashton were reduced to 10 men after an off the ball incident seen substitute Ujahchuku sent off for violent conduct but Ashton had their tails up and remarkably got the equaliser. Good play seen the ball over to the right played back into the box where Crompton smashed home. The pace and wetness of the ball seen it squirm past the keeper. 

Darwen were shell-shocked and Ashton nearly took all three points with the last chance of the game. Woosey's great turn and vicious shot tipped over by Newns saw the game finish 2-2. 

After controlling the game for 75mins, Darwen will be kicking themselves for not coming away with three points, for Ashton, they will hope this kickstarts their season and get themselves safe. 

NWCD1N Fulwood Armatures 4 - 3 Droylsden

 Seven Goal Thriller sees Fulwood Take the Spoils

Todays game saw me visit The Green for the first time to see Fulwood take on Droylsden in the North West Counties Div 1 North which proved to be an excellent one. Droylsden hoping to continue their great start to the season with them near the top and Fulwood making a great start to their first season in the Counties. 

The game got off to a frantic start with end to end attacks, the better falling to Fulwood who had chances from Lucas and Howarth well saved by Bloods keeper Latham awel as a smart save from Wignall following a clever freekick routine.

Droylsden grew into the half and a smart turn and shot from Forshaw drew a good save from Barry. Another Droylsden chance from Campbell saw his shot dragged wide. 

The deadlock was broken on the 27th minute from Fulwood's Howarth, the ball falling to him in the box and he rifled the ball into the roof of the net to give them a deserved lead.

Fulwood doubled their lead on the 36th minute. A freekick made its way to Wignall inside the box who swivelled and fired across the keep to send them into half time with a 2-0 lead. 

The second half started just as the first ended with Fulwood on the front foot. They got their third in the 49th minute through good work from Bell. His quick feet saw a shot blocked by Bloods captain Moran, but Howarth was there to tap home. 

Fulwood seemingly put the game to bed with their forth in the 63 minute, the hardworking Lucas got his rewards finishing well when played through. 

Droylsden made some changes which seemed to spark them into life, two quick goals from subs Omorogbe and Mendes set up a barnstorming last 15 minutes. More chances were coming for the Bloods with Mendes firing over from outside the box and a shot tipped over from Barry kept it at 4-2. 

Mendes got his second with a follow up tap in from a fine save from Barry to make it a tense last 5 minutes. Fulwood survived a few penalty shouts and late corners to see the game out 4-3.

 The win sees them move into the playoffs. Droylsden slip to third. 

This was a great game which should of been move comfortable for the home team, but made for great viewing for the neutral.

Fulwood Amateurs:

Howarth 27, 49

Wignall 36

Lucas 63

Droylsden:

Omorogbe 69

Mendes 75, 86

Att: 163

06/06/25 NWCD1S Runcorn Town 2-2 New Mills

 Spoils Shared Between Inform Teams

Todays game seen me travel to the Viridor Community Stadium for the first time to watch two of the inform teams in the North West Counties South division, Runcorn Town and New Mills. 

Both teams have made flying starts to the season, 15 points for Runcorn and 13 for New Mills, which made for a great game in store. 

The game didn't disappoint, both teams finding the back of the net inside 7 minutes. The first, New Mills with a good move saw Benarbia pick up a loose ball and played it quickly to Blake who finished well. Three minutes later Runcorn had equalised with Ruffer's first time ball over the top to Spires who's first touch was great and set him up for a fine strike into the bottom left corner. 

The first half didn't settle down at all with chances for both teams, Benarbia testing the Town keeper from distance and Apperley for Runcorn shooting just over. Just before the end of the first half, Apperley was again played in but rather then shooting, tried to take it round the keeper but Burgess recovered well to squash the chance. Teams going in 1-1 at the break. 

The second half started where the first left off, end to end. New Mills put some sustained pressure on the Runcorn back line with 3 blocked efforts in quick succession. 

Both teams seemed to be cancelling each other out up until the 59th minute where New Mills re-took the lead. McNamara done well to play the ball out wide to Benarbia who settled himself and smashed a low shot into the bottom left corner to make it 2-1. In similar fashion to the first half, Runcorn pegged them back almost straight away, Apperley was rewarded with his great game by nicking the ball in front of the Mills back line and lobbed the keeper, the ball hitting the bar and bouncing just over the line. 

The rest of the half saw chances for both team, Ruffer making space for a shot from outside the box just over and a great effot from Blake who cut inside but his shot went just wide. 

Deep into stoppage time, Runcorn should of won it with a free headed from Harland 6 yards out, hitting the bar and bounced out. 

The game petered out with it finishing 2-2 which was a fair result. 

Great game, action through out and both teams should finish high up the table. 

FA Cup Preliminary Round Chadderton FC 2 v 1 Stockport Town

 Chaddy Progress in the FA Cup Against Local Rivals

Just a a couple of months after the FA Cup final, the 2025/2026 campaign started today with the Preliminary rounds. 

Todays game seen me make a first visit to Andrew Street to see Chadderton v Stockport Town with both teams hoping to progress to the next round and pocket over £1000 in prize money. 

The game started in front of a decent crowd of 270 in tenacious fashion. Both teams not afraid of putting tackles in with the referee letting the as mush as he could go but after a few late and high challenges, a couple of bookings a piece was handed out. 

The first 30 minutes was starved of clear cut chances but the stand out players where both number 7s, Berry for Chaddy and Green for Town, who both kept creating chances and beating their full backs with ease, Green coming close with an effort just wide from long range. 

With Stockport seemingly having more control of the game, they got the first goal of the game. A long ball over the top was missed by a Chaddy centre back leaving Kattah one on one with the keeper, keeping his composure, he finished well to give Town the lead.  

Kattah had another chance to double his tally shortly after but his shot was well saved by Oldham. This proved costly as on the 40th minute Chaddy equalised. Good work from Bryne seen him set up his captain Crothers who finished well to make the half time score 1-1. 

The second half started with Stockport having most of the ball and better chances with a few set pieces causing issues for the Chaddy defence. The last one hitting the post and spinning wide after a bit of pin ball in the box. 

Chaddy were having to play on the break and in the 66th minute they got themselves in the lead. The impressive Berry got the ball to Bryne in the box. Shifting the ball onto his right foot, he curled the ball into the top right corner much to the crowds delight.

The came settled down into a battle in the middle with few chances created for either team, As time ran out, and tempers flared again, a scuffle broke out with Stockport Town's substitute Depiaza seeing red for his part in the incident. 

Chaddy managed to see the came out to take them into the next round. Stockport will be wondering how they lost the game with seemingly having control of most of it. 

Chadderton 2

Crothers (40)

Bryne (66)

Stockport Town 1

Kattah( (28)

Att: 270

26/7/25 NWCD1N Maghull 2-2 Squires Gate

 Non-League Football Back With A Bang

After a three month break, competitive non-league football was back for the North West Counties teams and my game today took me back to Maghull to watch their first home game of the season. Their opponents today were newly relegated Squires Gate who no doubt will look to make a return back to the Premier division. 

In front of a crowd just shy of 300, Squires Gate made the early breakthrough, after a good start, in the 9th minute Harries opened the scoring with a fine finish from outside the box after good work from Edwards. Maghull nearly equalised straight after with Till hitting the bar but it was SG who kept pushing and doubled their lead in the 27th minute with Ings volleying home from close range following a corner to take them into the break with a 2-0 lead. 

The management staff for Maghull must have said something right at half time because their team came flying out of the traps and got a goal back in the 47th through Hoey who on the half volley, fired home through the bodies following a corner. 

With Maghull's tails up, Harrison had a fine strike save by the Squires keeper to keep them in the lead. Throughout the half, it was all Maghull as Squires struggled to make any head way  and were doing well to frustrate the home team with the break up of play. 

Chances for Maghull late on, first from Till as a strike went over the bar with ten minutes left and then Brannigan powered a header onto the bar as the clocked hit the 90th minute looked to resign them to a defeat. 

But in the 95th minute, good work down the left seen the ball flicked onto the back post where Maghull's Peet had done great to make up the ground and send a header into the top corner to ecstatic fans and staff. 

The game finished 2-2 and was a cliché game of two halves with Squires having the better first but Maghull's dominant second half made a draw a fair result. 

The game was a great advert for North West Counties football which I am glad to be back watching. 

Maghull FC 2

Hoey (49) 

Peet (95)

Squires Gate 2

Harries (9)

Ing (27)

Att: 289

22/3/25 Euxton Villa 2-2 Bacup Borough NWCD1N

 Late Comeback Denies Villa All Three Points

Todays game saw me watch Euxton Villa and Bacup Borough play their third match against each other this season. Villa looking to confirm their play off position against Bacup who are Lancashire FA trophy finalists and will play National League North team Southport in the final later this year. 

A fantastic start from Villa seen them take the lead inside a minute. A fast attack from kick off result in a freekick awarded on the right hand side of the box. The ball was played in and a free header from Dan Singleton opened the scoring. 

Villa's tails where up and had another effort from Colquhoun deflected out for a corner. It took until the 18th minute for Bacup to register a shot, good work from number 9 Wright seen his shot just over. Much of the half was nip and tuck as both teams looked to factor chances. Villa's Singleton had a goal bound shot cleared off the line and Shorrock fired wide when played in. 

Bacup nearly went into the break level after pressure from a late freekick caused mayhem in the box. With the ball recycled to the back post, Wright's excellent header was kept out by Lombard to see Villa go into the break 1-0 up. 

The second half started in quick fashion with chances for both sides. Bacup's Siddle was denied when played through by a great save and a free headed at the back post from Villa's Gibson went over where he might of done better. 

With the game being battled in the middle, chances where few and far between. Villa made some changes which had an instant impact, in the 66th, Sharrock done well in the middle to chip a pass into substitute Twist who with his first touch of the game, steadied himself and smashed the ball into the bottom left corner across the keeper to give Villa a 2-0 lead.

With 10 minutes to go, and Villa seemingly on top, the game spun on its head. Bacup, who kept going all game, made an opening down the left. The ball fell to Hodgson who minutes earlier fired over. With quick feet he made an opening for a shot which flew past the keeper to give BB hope going into the last minutes. 

With Bacup pushing forward and Villa rocked, on the 85th minute they drew level. With good work down the right from substitute Booth, he fired a cross into the box where Hodgson was waiting to expertly guide the ball beyond the keeper to make it 2-2. 

Both teams pushed for a winner but the spoils where settled and it finished 2-2. 

A great game between two teams who have got to know each other very well over the past few seasons. Villa have been going well and should make the play offs and will be tough for any opponent they face. 

After watching Bacup a few times this season, their battling attitude never stops and am sure they will ruffle Southport's feathers when they play their final. 

Euxton Villa 2

Singleton (1)

Twist (66)

Bacup Borough 2

Hodgson (80,85)

Att: 168