Saturday 21st April 2018 (3pm), NWCFL Premier Division
West v 1874 Northwich
Brookburn Road, Chorlton, M21 8FE
£5 adults, £3 concessions, free for under-12s

West begin a run-in of five home games in their last six matches with the visit of familiar foes 1874 Northwich.

Both sides suffered late defeats in midweek - West went down 3-2 in stoppage time at AFC Liverpool on Tuesday, while 1874 conceded a 92nd-minute winner to Runcorn Town at Pavilions two days later.

Barring catastrophe, West's season is drawing to a comfortable close - they need six more points to be mathematically safe from the drop, regardless of whether four, five or six teams are relegated from the Premier Division. But Steve Settle will insist that his team hold onto their top half place in the final weeks of the campaign.

1874's fixture congestion is well-documented, and Thursday's trip to Runcorn was their third away game in successive days. They beat Padiham 3-0 in Tuesday's league game before exiting the Mid-Cheshire Senior Cup to Winsford United 24 hours later. The Greens will be hoping to cash in their games in hand as they chase promotion - if they win all 12 remaining games, they'll finish with 96 points, a total only potentially beaten by the two Runcorn sides (Linnets 104, Town 98).

By the numbers

• This will be the fourth meeting between the sides this season - 1874 progressed in the FA Cup after a replay, and also edged West out in the reverse league fixture in November. West are yet to taste victory against the Greens in ten attempts.
• Tom Bailey scored in both August cup ties against his former side, and has already beaten the 31 goals he scored for 1874 last campaign.
• Bailey's replacement in Cheshire, Scott McGowan, has matched the West man's 34 goals so far this season and has scored five in his last three appearances.

At a glance

Last time at Brookburn Road

Tuesday 22nd August 2017, FA Cup Preliminary Round replay

West 1 (Bailey 62, Botchey sent off)
1874 Northwich 3 (Hind 23, Parker 75, Whitlock 90)
Att: 304