Match Reviews for
Macron NCEL 2025/26 Match Review #45
4th January, 2026
Freezing temperatures meant that only the five Macron NCEL games that were being played on 4G pitches went ahead on a quiet first Saturday of the New Year.
Handsworth took advantage of the unscheduled break for the sides above them as the Ambers climb to fourth in the Premier Division following their 2-1 home win over Albion Sports.
The game was deadlocked until the 67th minute when Alex Wonham put the hosts ahead and Ben Harriott doubled their advantage before Narthan Cartman gave the Lions some hope in injury time but it ended up just being a consolation for his side who stay eighteenth.
Bottesford Town found themselves 2-0 down to visitors Thackley by the 54th minute thanks to a brace from Hass Gorji.
But, they battled back to claim a point in a 2-2 draw with Clayton Bryant netting on 72 and Scott Matthews then pouncing deep in stoppage time to grab the Poachers something from the encounter.
In Division One, Wakefield AFC are up into second after Billy Mole, Akeel Francis and Bolton Makwedza secured them a 3-0 home win over Athersley Recreation with two of the goals coming in the last ten minutes.
They go above Harrogate Railway Athletic who were beaten for only the second time this season as hosts Route One Rovers tighten their grip on eleventh spot with a win by the same scoreline, an early Reece Thompson double added to by Zak Khan to give them an unassailable lead by half-time.
And, Winterton Rangers have leaped out of the relegation zone as Oliver Nicholson, Kai Nicholson and Charlie Bibby scored in a 3-1 win at Goole AFC with Kurtis Gollings netting late on for the twelfth-placed Vikings.
Meanwhile, 2025 ended in midweek with a couple of West Riding County Cup Second Round ties, including an all-NCEL clash between Golcar United and their visitors Leeds UFCA.
It looked as though the Division One side were going to cause an upset as William Horkin and Edward Tordoff gave them a 2-1 lead over their hosts.
But, Rico Kilbourne and Romario Dunkley both struck in injury-time to give Golcar a 3-2 victory that sees them progress to the Quarter-Finals.
And, they are joined in the last eight by Harrogate who notched up an excellent 4-0 home win over FC Halifax Town, Oliver Holt's double added to by Alex Ingham and Benjamin Parkes.
Photo: Ben Harriott scores Handsworth's second goal in their 2-1 home win over Albion Sports in the Macron NCEL Premier Division on Saturday. (Picture: Ken Allsebrook)
Handsworth took advantage of the unscheduled break for the sides above them as the Ambers climb to fourth in the Premier Division following their 2-1 home win over Albion Sports.
The game was deadlocked until the 67th minute when Alex Wonham put the hosts ahead and Ben Harriott doubled their advantage before Narthan Cartman gave the Lions some hope in injury time but it ended up just being a consolation for his side who stay eighteenth.
Bottesford Town found themselves 2-0 down to visitors Thackley by the 54th minute thanks to a brace from Hass Gorji.
But, they battled back to claim a point in a 2-2 draw with Clayton Bryant netting on 72 and Scott Matthews then pouncing deep in stoppage time to grab the Poachers something from the encounter.
In Division One, Wakefield AFC are up into second after Billy Mole, Akeel Francis and Bolton Makwedza secured them a 3-0 home win over Athersley Recreation with two of the goals coming in the last ten minutes.
They go above Harrogate Railway Athletic who were beaten for only the second time this season as hosts Route One Rovers tighten their grip on eleventh spot with a win by the same scoreline, an early Reece Thompson double added to by Zak Khan to give them an unassailable lead by half-time.
And, Winterton Rangers have leaped out of the relegation zone as Oliver Nicholson, Kai Nicholson and Charlie Bibby scored in a 3-1 win at Goole AFC with Kurtis Gollings netting late on for the twelfth-placed Vikings.
Meanwhile, 2025 ended in midweek with a couple of West Riding County Cup Second Round ties, including an all-NCEL clash between Golcar United and their visitors Leeds UFCA.
It looked as though the Division One side were going to cause an upset as William Horkin and Edward Tordoff gave them a 2-1 lead over their hosts.
But, Rico Kilbourne and Romario Dunkley both struck in injury-time to give Golcar a 3-2 victory that sees them progress to the Quarter-Finals.
And, they are joined in the last eight by Harrogate who notched up an excellent 4-0 home win over FC Halifax Town, Oliver Holt's double added to by Alex Ingham and Benjamin Parkes.
Photo: Ben Harriott scores Handsworth's second goal in their 2-1 home win over Albion Sports in the Macron NCEL Premier Division on Saturday. (Picture: Ken Allsebrook)
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