Key details

 Saturday 5th January 2019
3pm
 Brookburn Road, Chorlton, M21 8FE
NWCFL Premier Division
£5 adults / £3 concessions / free for under-12s

Match preview

West will look to start 2019 the way they finished 2018 when they welcome a similarly-resurgent Burscough.

David Powell's side registered an impressive win over Runcorn Town last weekend to put three points between themselves and the relegation zone. A performance of a similar standard will be required if West are to make it five wins from six under Powell's stewardship, as they face a Linnets side who are nestled in the top six after a superb end to the calendar year.

The Linnets' Boxing Day draw at home to Litherland REMYCA was their eighth game without defeat in league competition, a run which has included impressive wins at home to Runcorn Town (4-0) and Silsden (3-2). A turnaround in fortunes has been a long time coming for the West Lancashire side, who spluttered to an 18th-placed finish last season after relegation from the NPL Division One North.

A West defence that has alllowed just four goals in the last six games will be kept busy by the Linnets' leading marksman Chad Whyte, whose late equaliser against Litherland was his eighth goal in six games and his 28th of the season.

At a glance

Recent meetings

Other fixtures

1874 Northwich v Congleton Town
Ashton Athletic v Winsford United
Barnoldswick Town v Hanley Town
Charnock Richard v Abbey Hey
City of Liverpool v Squires Gate
Runcorn Town v Bootle
Silsden v Whitchurch Alport