Monday 4th December 2017 (7.45pm), NWCFL Premier Division
West v AFC Darwen
Brookburn Road, M21 8FE
£5 adults, £3 concessions, free for under-12s accompanied by an adult
West face a vital game at the wrong end of the table on Monday night as AFC Darwen visit Brookburn Road for a rearranged fixture.
Following Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Barnoldswick Town, West are just five points off the Premier Division relegation zone, but they will be looking to claim a much-needed win against a Darwen side currently second-bottom of the table.
Darwen won the original fixture 5-4 in September, but the result was voided after Chappy Massamba, who scored four times for the visitors, was found to be ineligible. Massamba, of course, has signed for West in the interim period.
At a glance
| West | v | Darwen |
| 16th | Position | 22nd |
| LLLLL | Form (all competitions) | LLLLL |
| 18 | Played | 21 |
| 7 | Won | 2 |
| 1 | Drawn | 5 |
| 10 | Lost | 14 |
| 24 | Points | 11 |
| 36 | Goals for | 21 |
| 48 | Goals against | 61 |
| Tom Bailey (20) | Top scorer (all competitions) | Sidi Fofana (5) |
| West v Darwen (NWCFL era): P7 W2 D1 L4 F11 A18 |
The Salmoners
AFC Darwen find themselves deep in the mire after a catastrophic late autumn period. The Salmoners haven’t won in the league since beating Barnoldswick Town on 5th September, and recent reverses in relegation six-pointers against AFC Liverpool, Burscough and Maine Road sandwiched a damaging defeat of a wholly different kind – a 9-1 annihilation at the hands of Lancashire neighbours Charnock Richard. That hammering six days ago was the latest hit to the Salmoners’ goal difference following a 6-2 defeat to Congleton Town, 4-0 and 6-0 defeats to Ashton Athletic and a 5-1 defeat to Padiham.
The Salmoners would appear to be condemned to a return to the First Division for the first time since promotion in 2015, but they can take solace from an improved record in cup competitions – beating City of Liverpool in the Macron Cup and reaching the first round proper of the FA Vase – and holding leaders Runcorn Town to a 2-2 draw on 11th November.
Last time – Darwen 3-0 West, Saturday 21st January 2017
It was an afternoon to forget for West as they succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of lowly AFC Darwen at the Anchor Ground. Kiel Lonsdale, Karl Turner and Liam Cole scored for the home side.
Read the match report from January’s meeting.
