Local Non-League Matches – 22.04.23

Local Non-League Matches – 22.04.23

By Dave Johnson

Ramsbottom United v Newcastle Town

Newcastle Town make the trip to already relegated Ramsbottom United this weekend safe in the knowledge they won’t be joining them after escaping the dreaded drop last Saturday.

Everyone associated with Castle breathed a collective sigh of relief after the end of their fixture against Trafford when Kyle Stubbs goal midway through the opening forty-five minutes gave them the win.

You may think there is nothing to play for going into this one, but it gives the players one more opportunity to impress new boss Paul Moore as he ponders his options during the summer break.

He will be keen to bring players in who can make a difference and hopefully the team will make progress next season, without having to be too concerned about the future of the club’s standing in the league table.

Clitheroe v Kidsgrove Athletic

A trip to promotion hopefuls Clitheroe on Saturday will be sure to test Grove’s resolve when they come up against a side who are already assured of a place in the play-offs.

After a bit of a hiccup in March when they lost three games in a row, Clitheroe recovered well and have won their last five matches and despite their place in the play-offs being already booked, they will want to keep the momentum going.

They will be hoping to show Saturday’s visitors, who have picked up a single point in their last three outings, that their defeat earlier in the season away to Clitheroe was no fluke, despite the narrow margin of their victory.

Grove will be keen o go out on a high at the end of a rather frustrating season, in which until only a few weeks ago they themselves looked like they might break into the top five.

Prescot Cables v Hanley Town

Barring an absolutely mind-boggling swing in goal difference this weekend Hanley Town know that even if they lose this game they are safe from the drop.

Their escape has been more than commendable after a run which has seen them unbeaten in their last seven games and they will hold no fears going up against a side who are just three points above them.

When the two sides met at the Potteries Park back in November they escaped with all three points after a 1-0 win, but back then Hanley were really struggling on home soil.

That goal difference mentioned earlier? Hanley are twenty goals better off and if they lost by a single goal to Prescot, Widnes would need to beat 1874 Northwich by twenty clear goals, as Hanley have scored more goals.

Leek Town v Skelmersdale United

After Leek Town lost their status as the league’s second-best side recently, on paper at least, they again went above third-placed Workington after contrasting fortunes last weekend.

They will be at home in the play-offs no matter what their result this weekend, but they will want to retain that second spot and go into the play-offs on a high.

They face a Skelmersdale side who were beaten 4-2 at home by Bootle last weekend who have now lost five of their last six games and they are expected to be fairly low in confidence.

From a Leek point of view, their own recent form hasn’t exactly been anything to shout about having picked up just seven points from their last six fixtures.

Mossley v Macclesfield

Runaway Champions Macclesfield may well have promotion wrapped up, but after two consecutive draws they will want to bow out with a win.

They make the trip to Seel Park where they will take on a Mossley side who narrowly missed out on the play-off and who may well feel they have a point to prove.

The Lilywhites are assured of a top seven finish whatever happens now, but if they could add Macclesfield’s scalp before the season is over they will feel they have achieved something.

After a run of defeats effectively cost them a top five finish, they have now gone six games unbeaten – they will want to stretch that by one further game before the end of the season.

Congleton Town v Longridge Town

Following an arduous season in which Congleton will finish playing 67 games due to their success in cup competitions, they rested several players in their penultimate league fixture on Wednesday night.

They were made to pay for that decision, suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of AFC Liverpool, who came out of the fixture with an impressive 8-2 win over the Bears.

The Bears now wrap up their league fixtures ahead of two cup finals with a home game against Longridge Town, a side who sit five places below them in the table.

The Bears follow this one with a Cheshire Senior Cup Final against Altrincham on Thursday night and finish with the Macron Cup Final when they take on Bacup Borough.

Stafford Rangers v South Shields

Stafford take on champions South Shields in their final game of a topsy-turvy season in which they left it late to escape the dreaded drop when they won away at FC United of Manchester last weekend.

The pressure is off going into their last game but they know they are likely to face a side keen to show just why they have topped the league.

Rangers would love nothing more than to show their supporters they can beat teams like this and give everybody hope that next season is a successful one out there on the pitch.

Matty Hill’s men can maybe use this match a a barometer to measure where they are in terms of challenging next season, but it’s fair to say the manager will need to freshen up his squad during the summer.

Nantwich Town v Radcliffe

A 2-2 draw away to Marske United on Thursday night leaves Nantwich Town with just an outside chance of avoiding the drop.

The Dabbers must have thought they had all three points in the bag when Sean Cooke put them in front for the second time in the game with twelve minutes remaining.

An equalizer just three minutes later came as a kick in the teeth, leaving Nantwich with everything to do as they face the mammoth task of beating a side on the cusp of a play-off place.

Nantwich need to beat Radcliffe and hope Atherton Collieries fail to get anything at Stalybridge Celtic – If both of those scenarios play out they will be safe., but if second placed Warrington Town beat fifth placed Hyde United, a point would be enough for Radcliffe to claim a top five spot.