2013–14 North West Counties Football League

The 2013–14 North West Counties Football League season was the 32nd in the history of the North West Counties Football League, a football competition in England. Teams were divided into two divisions: the Premier Division and Division One.

Premier Division

North West Counties
Football League
Premier Division

Season	2013–14
Champions	Norton United
Promoted	Norton United
Relegated	Wigan Robin Park
Matches played	462
Goals scored	1,476 (3.19 per match)
← 2012–13 2014–15 →

The Premier Division featured two new teams:^[1]

• Abbey Hey promoted as runners-up of Division One
• West Didsbury & Chorlton promoted from Division One

Bacup & Rossendale Borough, who finished the season in one of the relegation positions, were reprieved.^[2]

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Norton United (C, P)	42	32	4	6	101	38	+63	100	Promotion to Northern Premier League Division One South
2	Runcorn Linnets	42	29	8	5	103	39	+64	95
3	Glossop North End	42	25	8	9	73	33	+40	83
4	Maine Road	42	24	9	9	85	42	+43	81
5	Runcorn Town	42	25	4	13	87	45	+42	79
6	Ashton Athletic	42	23	5	14	78	50	+28	74
7	A.F.C. Liverpool	42	21	7	14	88	54	+34	70
8	Bootle	42	21	7	14	87	57	+30	70
9	Colne	42	20	4	18	71	67	+4	64
10	Congleton Town	42	17	9	16	58	58	0	60
11	Stockport Sports	42	15	12	15	64	69	−5	57
12	West Didsbury & Chorlton	42	15	8	19	52	66	−14	53
13	A.F.C. Blackpool	42	14	7	21	60	87	−27	49
14	Winsford United	42	15	3	24	57	83	−26	48
15	Silsden	42	13	8	21	52	70	−18	47
16	Barnoldswick Town	42	12	7	23	59	89	−30	43
17	St Helens Town	42	11	10	21	55	89	−34	43
18	Alsager Town	42	11	7	24	57	85	−28	40
19	Squires Gate	42	12	4	26	51	89	−38	40
20	Abbey Hey	42	9	13	20	47	86	−39	40
21	Bacup & Rossendale Borough	42	9	12	21	38	68	−30	39
22	Wigan Robin Park (R)	42	7	8	27	53	112	−59	29	Relegation to Division One

Updated to match(es) played on 26 April 2014. Source: NWCFL Archive Tables.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Promotion criteria

To be promoted at the end of the season a team must:

1. Have applied to be considered for promotion by 30 November 2013
2. Pass a ground grading examination by 31 March 2014
3. Finish the season in a position higher than that of any other team also achieving criteria 1 and 2
4. Finish the season in one of the top three positions

The following eight teams have achieved criterion 1:^[3]

• A.F.C. Liverpool
• Bootle
• Congleton
• Glossop North End
• Maine Road
• Norton United
• Runcorn Linnets
• Runcorn Town

Results

Home \ Away	ABH	BLK	LVP	ALS	ASH	BAC	BWT	BTL	CLN	CNG	GNE	MNR	NOR	RNL	RNT	SIL	SQG	STH	STS	WDC	WRP	WNS
Abbey Hey		0–2	2–2	4–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–4	0–0	1–3	2–2	2–1	1–2	1–3	2–1	0–3	1–1	0–3	2–1	0–1	2–1
A.F.C. Blackpool	3–3		0–2	1–1	1–0	4–1	1–3	0–3	3–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–4	1–2	1–4	2–2	2–0	4–2	2–1	0–4	3–2	2–6
A.F.C. Liverpool	4–0	2–4		5–1	1–1	4–0	2–0	3–0	4–2	1–0	0–2	1–2	2–3	2–3	0–4	3–1	2–1	3–0	1–1	2–2	6–0	1–2
Alsager Town	1–3	0–1	2–1		2–3	3–0	2–0	1–4	0–4	1–2	1–2	0–3	0–2	0–3	0–0	1–2	1–1	1–2	2–3	2–0	3–2	2–1
Ashton Athletic	3–1	6–1	0–1	3–0		0–0	3–0	1–0	1–0	0–1	2–1	1–2	2–0	1–0	1–3	1–1	1–2	6–2	2–1	2–2	4–0	6–2
Bacup & Rossendale Borough	0–0	0–0	1–2	1–1	0–2		0–2	0–1	1–2	1–1	2–0	1–2	0–4	1–3	0–2	3–0	3–0	3–2	0–1	0–1	1–2	1–4
Barnoldswick Town	3–1	1–2	2–1	1–1	1–2	1–1		2–3	1–0	1–1	0–2	2–3	1–1	1–5	0–2	2–1	4–0	1–2	1–2	5–2	2–2	2–1
Bootle	5–0	2–1	0–1	2–0	1–0	0–0	4–0		4–0	2–0	3–1	2–1	0–4	2–1	2–2	2–0	2–4	1–2	2–2	5–0	5–0	0–1
Colne	2–0	2–0	0–4	4–3	1–0	1–1	1–2	2–1		2–1	0–0	0–1	0–1	1–6	0–3	3–1	4–0	7–0	3–2	0–4	3–1	5–1
Congleton Town	3–1	4–2	1–0	2–3	3–2	0–1	3–1	2–1	3–1		0–2	3–3	0–2	0–4	4–2	2–1	0–2	1–0	2–3	3–1	1–1	3–0
Glossop North End	0–0	3–1	2–1	4–1	1–2	2–0	2–0	2–1	1–1	3–2		0–1	0–1	1–1	1–0	3–0	5–1	2–3	0–3	1–0	5–0	5–0
Maine Road	3–0	3–1	0–1	2–0	2–0	1–0	7–0	0–0	3–0	2–0	1–1		2–2	0–0	2–1	1–2	1–2	6–0	1–1	5–1	1–1	3–0
Norton United	2–0	2–0	3–1	4–2	1–2	4–0	4–0	2–1	2–1	3–1	0–1	3–0		0–2	4–1	2–0	4–2	2–1	2–1	1–0	5–1	2–1
Runcorn Linnets	7–1	4–0	1–3	4–2	4–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	3–4	1–1	2–1	2–2	1–5		4–0	1–0	3–0	1–1	2–1	0–0	3–2	2–1
Runcorn Town	1–3	1–2	4–1	0–3	2–1	4–1	4–1	4–1	1–2	3–0	0–0	4–1	1–2	0–1		3–0	2–0	2–0	3–1[lower-alpha 1]	0–1	1–1	1–0
Silsden	2–2	4–1	3–1	3–2	0–1	1–2	3–1	0–2	1–3	0–0	0–1	1–3	1–0	1–1	0–4		5–1	1–0	2–2	2–0	1–0	2–1
Squires Gate	2–2	1–3	1–1	1–2	0–1	3–3	4–0	1–4	2–1	0–2	0–1	1–2	1–2	0–4	0–1	3–2		3–0	1–2	1–0	0–2	2–1
St Helens Town	2–1	1–1	1–1	0–3	2–6	1–1	1–1	1–2	0–1	1–1	0–2	0–5	3–3	0–3	0–3	2–0[lower-alpha 2]	5–0		2–2	3–0	4–1	0–2
Stockport Sports	1–1	2–1	1–4	2–1	0–3	0–2	0–3	5–5	1–0	0–2	0–0	2–1	1–3	0–3	1–2	1–1	3–0	1–1		2–3	1–1	2–1
West Didsbury & Chorlton	2–0	2–0	1–3	0–0	1–1	0–1	3–2	4–3	1–1	1–0	1–3	0–2	0–0	0–2	1–0	2–0	2–1	1–2	2–2		1–0	1–2
Wigan Robin Park	1–1	3–1	0–8	2–3	2–4	4–1	3–2	3–3	0–2	1–2	0–3	3–1	1–5	0–1	1–5	1–1	2–3	1–4	0–2	3–4		1–3
Winsford United	1–2	0–2	0–0	1–1	3–1	1–2	3–5	1–1	2–1	1–0	0–3	1–0	0–4	0–4	0–4	2–3	2–1	2–1	1–2	2–0	3–1

Updated to match(es) played on 26 April 2014. Source: NWCFL Archive Premier Division results
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:

1. Runcorn Town v Stockport Sports: Match abandoned after 83 minutes. Score at time of abandonment stands.^[4]
2. St Helens Town v Silsden: Match abandoned after 86 minutes. Score at time of abandonment stands.^[5]

Locations

AFC Blackpool

AFC Liverpool

Abbey
Hey

Alsager Tn

Ashton Ath

Bacup & R B

Barnoldswick Tn

Bootle

Colne

Congleton Tn

Glossop
NE

Maine Rd

Norton Utd

Runcorn Lin

Runcorn Tn

Silsden

Squires Gate

St Helens

Stockport
Sports

WD&C

Wigan RP

Winsford Utd

Locations of the 2013–14 North West Counties Football League Premier Division teams

Division One

North West Counties
Football League
Division One

Season	2013–14
Champions	Nelson
Promoted	Nelson 1874 Northwich
Matches played	342
Goals scored	1,327 (3.88 per match)
← 2012–13 2014–15 →

Division One featured three new teams:^[1]

• Hanley Town promoted as champions of the Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division
• 1874 Northwich accepted as a newly formed club.
• Widnes Vikings accepted from the West Cheshire League Third Division, where they played as Widnes Town.

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Nelson (C, P)	36	29	2	5	135	51	+84	89	Promotion to Premier Division
2	Formby	36	26	6	4	97	37	+60	84	Club folded at end of season
3	1874 Northwich (P)	36	26	6	4	79	28	+51	84	Promotion to Premier Division
4	Hanley Town	36	23	4	9	86	55	+31	73
5	Atherton Collieries	36	19	9	8	100	62	+38	66
6	Holker Old Boys	36	17	9	10	80	60	+20	60
7	Rochdale Town	36	17	4	15	95	78	+17	55
8	Atherton Laburnum Rovers	36	17	3	16	66	66	0	54
9	A.F.C. Darwen	36	15	7	14	64	64	0	51[lower-alpha 1]
10	Irlam	36	14	8	14	53	64	−11	50
11	Cheadle Town	36	14	7	15	65	74	−9	46[lower-alpha 2]
12	Ashton Town	36	11	11	14	57	61	−4	44
13	Chadderton	36	12	8	16	58	71	−13	41[lower-alpha 3]
14	Widnes Vikings	36	9	9	18	58	84	−26	35[lower-alpha 4]
15	Leek County School Old Boys	36	8	5	23	55	93	−38	29	Resigned from league at the end of the season and placed in SCSL
16	Oldham Boro	36	7	7	22	45	90	−45	28
17	Eccleshall	36	7	5	24	43	78	−35	26
18	Daisy Hill	36	6	4	26	43	103	−60	22
19	Northwich Flixton Villa	36	6	4	26	48	108	−60	19[lower-alpha 5]

Updated to match(es) played on 1 May 2014. Source: NWCFL Archive Tables
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Notes:

1. AFC Darwen were deducted 1 point for a breach of league rules.
2. Cheadle Town were deducted 3 points for a breach of league rules.
3. Chadderton were deducted 3 points for a breach of league rules.
4. Widnes Vikings were deducted 1 point for a breach of league rules.
5. Northwich Flixton Villa were deducted 3 points for a breach of league rules.

Results

Home \ Away	18N	DAR	AST	ACO	ALR	CHA	CHT	DSH	ECC	FOR	HAN	HOB	IRL	LCS	NEL	NFV	OLD	RCH	WDV
1874 Northwich		4–1	1–0	1–1	3–0	3–0	4–0	3–0	2–1	0–1	4–2	6–0	0–0	1–0	1–3	1–0	1–1	2–1	4–0
A.F.C. Darwen	1–4		1–0	3–3	1–3	3–0	1–1	2–0	3–2	2–5	1–2	4–2	2–1	5–2	1–3	5–0	2–3	0–0	1–0
Ashton Town	0–5	0–1		1–3	1–2	0–0	4–1	2–2	4–3	2–2	0–1	0–0	1–1	4–0	1–2	1–2	4–1	2–2	2–1
Atherton Collieries	0–1	2–2	2–1		0–0	3–1	6–2	5–0	6–0	2–2	2–2	2–3	4–2	4–0	2–1	3–3	3–1	2–4	5–1
Atherton Laburnum Rovers	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1		2–1	4–1	1–2	2–0	1–3	4–3	3–1	2–0	1–6	2–3	5–1	0–1	0–5	2–0
Chadderton	1–3	3–0	3–1	1–2	3–2		1–2	1–0	4–1	0–2	0–1	1–1	2–2	3–2	1–7	6–3	4–1	0–3	2–2
Cheadle Town	2–2	0–4	1–1	2–2	1–1	2–0		5–1	3–1	1–4	1–4	4–1	4–2	0–0	2–3	1–2	2–0	1–0	5–2
Daisy Hill	2–3	1–4	2–2	3–1	1–2	0–0	0–2		2–1	1–3	1–7	2–3	0–2	2–3	3–4	4–1	3–5	2–1	1–1
Eccleshall	0–2	2–1	0–1	1–2	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–2		2–3	1–2	2–2	0–1	1–0	1–6	2–1	2–0	1–1	1–1
Formby	0–0	2–0	0–1	1–0	3–0	1–0	3–0	7–1	4–0		2–1	2–2	4–1	7–3	1–3	2–0	3–1	2–1	1–2
Hanley Town	1–2	1–4	0–3	1–5	2–1	2–2	5–3	3–0	1–0	1–1		2–3	3–0	4–0	3–0	2–1	3–0	1–0	3–2
Holker Old Boys	0–1	4–0	0–1	2–2	1–1	4–1	4–1	4–1	2–3	0–1	1–1		2–1	5–1	1–2	2–0	4–1	6–3	3–1
Irlam	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–2	3–1	1–0	3–1	2–1	1–1	0–3	2–2		0–3	0–2	4–1	1–1	3–2	1–0
Leek County School Old Boys	1–2	0–0	0–1	1–3	2–6	1–4	3–3	3–1	2–2	1–5	0–2	1–3	1–2		0–4	6–1	6–1	1–3	1–1
Nelson	3–1	4–0	5–1	4–2	5–1	2–2	2–1	8–0	1–0	0–4	3–4	3–2	2–5	7–0		2–2	8–4	6–1	8–1
Northwich Flixton Villa	0–1	1–2	4–4	2–5	0–4	2–3	3–1	2–1	1–0	0–6	5–1	0–3	2–4	0–2	0–3		0–1	3–4	1–5
Oldham Boro	0–1	0–0	3–4	0–2	2–1	0–1	1–2	2–1	1–1	2–3	1–3	2–2	0–1	2–1	0–6	2–2		0–2	2–2
Rochdale Town	4–3	4–2	3–2	8–6	1–2	6–2	0–2	2–0	4–5	4–2	0–5	2–3	7–0	2–0	1–4	7–2	4–1		2–2
Widnes Vikings	0–3	2–2	3–3	1–4	2–0	1–1	1–3	4–0	2–1	1–4	2–4	0–2	3–1	1–2	0–6	3–0	5–2	3–1

Updated to match(es) played on 1 May 2014. Source: NWCFL Archive Division One results
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Locations

1874 Northwich

Ashton Tn

AFC  Darwen

Atherton C

Atherton LR

Chadderton

Cheadle Tn

Daisy Hill

Eccleshall

Hanley Tn

Holker OB

Formby

Irlam

Leek CSOB

Nelson

Northwich FV

Oldham

Rochdale Tn

Widnes Vik

Locations of the 2013–14 North West Counties Football League Division One teams

League Challenge Cup

First round

Each Premier Division club, together with Ashton Town of Division One, received a bye to the second round.

Home team Score Away team 1874 Northwich 3–2 aet Hanley Town Atherton Laburnum Rovers 1–2 A.F.C. Darwen Daisy Hill 0–4 Irlam Formby 4–0 Nelson Holker Old Boys 2–0 Leek CSOB

Home team Score Away team Northwich Flixton Villa 4–5 aet Eccleshall Oldham Boro 1–2 Chadderton Rochdale Town 3–0 Widnes Vikings Atherton Collieries 4–0 Cheadle Town

Second round

Home team Score Away team Abbey Hey 4–0 Eccleshall A.F.C. Darwen 4–2 aet Colne Atherton Collieries 6–0 Bacup & Rossendale Borough Bootle 3–0 Norton United Chadderton 0–1 Ashton Athletic Congleton Town 2–0 Ashton Town Glossop North End 0–2 Maine Road Irlam 1–5 Runcorn Town

Home team Score Away team Rochdale Town 3–2 Holker Old Boys Runcorn Linnets 1–0 Barnoldswick Town Silsden 1–4 aet Formby Squires Gate 1–5 1874 Northwich St Helens Town 1–2 Alsager Town West Didsbury & Chorlton 1–5 A.F.C. Liverpool Wigan Robin Park 2–3 A.F.C. Blackpool Winsford United 3–1 Stockport Sports

Third round

Home team Score Away team 1874 Northwich 1–0 Formby A.F.C. Blackpool 1–0 A.F.C. Liverpool Alsager Town 0–1 Runcorn Linnets Bootle 0–1 Abbey Hey

Home team Score Away team Congleton Town 1–1 aet Ashton Athletic Maine Road 3–0 Winsford United Rochdale Town 3–0 Atherton Collieries Runcorn Town 5–0 A.F.C. Darwen

Replay

Home team	Score	Away team
Ashton Athletic	2–1	Congleton Town

Fourth round

Home team Score Away team 1874 Northwich 2–1 Abbey Hey Maine Road 4–0 A.F.C. Blackpool

Home team Score Away team Rochdale Town 3–1 Runcorn Town Runcorn Linnets 0–2 Ashton Athletic

Semi–Finals

Played over two legs

Home team Score Away team Maine Road 3–1 1874 Northwich 1874 Northwich 0–3 Maine Road Maine Road win 6–1 on aggregate

Home team Score Away team Rochdale Town 1–3 Ashton Athletic Ashton Athletic 3–1 Rochdale Town Ashton Athletic win 6–2 on aggregate

Final

Played at Curzon Ashton's Tameside Stadium

	Score
Ashton Athletic	1–0	Maine Road

First Division Trophy

First round

Each of the remaining thirteen Division One clubs received a bye to the second round.

Home team Score Away team Daisy Hill 0–3 Nelson Eccleshall 2–4 Hanley Town

Home team Score Away team Formby 2–0 Atherton Collieries

Second round

Home team Score Away team 1874 Northwich 5–0 Widnes Vikings A.F.C. Darwen 3–2 Cheadle Town Formby 2–2 aet, pens 3–0 Atherton Laburnum Rovers Hanley Town 1–0 Chadderton

Home team Score Away team Holker Old Boys 1–0 Rochdale Town Leek CSOB 1–1 aet, pens 4–3 Northwich Flixton Villa Nelson 6–1 Irlam Oldham Boro 0–3 Ashton Town

Third round

Home team Score Away team Ashton Town 1–4 Hanley Town Formby 4–2 1874 Northwich

Home team Score Away team Leek CSOB 2–7 A.F.C. Darwen Nelson 0–1 aet Holker Old Boys

Semi-finals

Played over two legs

Home team Score Away team Hanley Town 3–1 Holker Old Boys Holker Old Boys 3–2 Hanley Town Hanley Town win 5–4 on aggregate

Home team Score Away team A.F.C. Darwen 3–2 Formby Formby 4–1 A.F.C. Darwen Formby win 6–4 on aggregate

Final

Played at Runcorn Linnets' Millbank Linnets Stadium

	Score
Formby	3–3 aet	Hanley Town

Formby win on penalties, 5–3

References

1. "NWCFL team changes 2013". NWCFL. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
2. "League Constitution - further update". NWCFL. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
3. "Applications for promotion". NWCFL. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
4. "Runcorn Town V Stockport Sports". NWCFL. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
5. "St Helens Town V Silsden". NWCFL. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.

External links

• nwcfl.com (The Official Website of The North West Counties Football League)