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Droylsden will hope to join champions Nelson at Step 5 next season

Champions Nelson ease to 4-0 final day win

By Steven Oldham Cover photo: Derek Lloyd Droylsden vs Darwen

Nelson finish with dominant win

Nelson topped off their North West Counties First Division North winning season with a 4-0 home win over playoff hopefuls MSB Woolton.

Arron Ripley’s side scored twice in each half to wrap up a 23rd win of the campaign and the Lancashire club end the season nine points clear of the rest of the pack.

Top scorer Max Cane added his 24th of the season to open proceedings, with Cameron Lancaster also on target in the first half. Jack Doherty and Jack Burrows completed the rout with their second half efforts.

READ MORE: Nelson bounce back with 2-1 home win

The Little Wembley side went on a 16 game unbeaten run to close out the season and they return to Step 5 for the first time since 2017. While a 4-0 loss will be chastening for Woolton, the promoted side have still defied expectations by reaching the play-offs in their first season in the Counties.

Maghull hit fifth gear in away win

Woolton’s playoff opponents, fellow Merseyside outfit Maghull, signed off the regular season with an impressive 5-2 win at Daisy Hill.

Five different scorers got their names on the scoresheet for the visitors, with Connor Rankin, Sam Smith, Jamie Clarke, Jacob Till and Will Dunne all on target. Daisy had taken the lead midway through the first half through Liam Sheppard, with Matthew Plested briefly levelling the game on 73 minutes.

Joe Burns’ side are unbeaten in five heading into the playoffs, but have not beaten Woolton in either of their regular season games and will need to change that to keep their promotion dream alive.

Daisy Hill record back-to-back 11th placed finishes.

READ MORE: FA Vase: Maghull surprise Step 5 opposition

Bloods draw ends Darwen’s playoff hopes

Runners-up Droylsden could’ve been playing Darwen again in a week’s time had they lost this fixture – but the Lancashire side just miss out on the playoffs after the game ended 2-2 at The Butchers’ Arms.

Darwen could have gate-crashed the top five with victory here, while hoping Squires Gate slipped up in their season closer. With both games ending as draws, it’s as you were heading into the final day.

READ MORE: Litherland REMYCA relegated to Step 6

Yacin Amarzou had put Darwen ahead after 21 minutes, but Ryan Talbot drew The Bloods level with a goal against his old side four minutes later. Emmanuel Udjor Omorogbe turned the game in the home side’s favour before the break, before Bruno Severino scored the fourth and final goal on 54 minutes.

Droylsden will hope it’s third time lucky as they again navigate the playoffs, with their best finishing position since rejoining the football pyramid. Darwen fall agonisingly close once more with another sixth place finish.

Squires Gate into playoffs

Paul Sholabi’s late equaliser snatched Bacup Borough a point in a 1-1 result at Squires Gate – but it didn’t stop the Blackpool side booking their playoff spot and they retain hope of an instant return to Premier Division football.

Jack Arrowsmith’s early goal had left Luke Evans’ side sitting pretty for most of the game – before supersub Sholabi snatched an equaliser four minutes from time.

The Blackpool side need to beat Droylsden for the first time this season if their dream of promotion is to continue. Bacup finish tenth, an improvement of two places on last season.

Thornton Cleveleys finish with a flourish

Thornton Cleveleys may have missed the playoffs by just two points, but were still able to end the season with a 4-0 home win over Garstang.

Two Luke Harris goals – one from the penalty spot – set the tone in the first half, with subs Jordan Beavers and Jacob Aspinall cementing the last three points after the break.

It’s a third successive season where second-last Garstang have finished in the bottom three, but reprieves on both previous occasions preserved their Step 6 status.

READ MORE: NWC: First win in 10 for Garstang

Eight goals shared equally in dramatic draw

Fulwood Amateurs and Colne shared the spoils in one for the neutral – with both sides scoring late on in a 4-4 draw.

Three goals in the opening ten minutes was a sign of things to come, with the home side’s James Bell opening the scoring before quickfire replies from Jamie Walker and Barney Wiggin turned the game around.

Louis Botes levelled the game two minutes before the break – and Fulwood regained the lead via Matthew Von Wyk with the second half’s first goal on 54 minutes.

A home win looked to be on the cards until two goals past the 80 minute mark from Daniel Ajidagba and Tristan Fitzpatrick swung the game in Colne’s favour – with their work cancelled out by Spencer Lucas’ last minute equaliser.

Fulwood end their debut season in the NWCFL in 12th place, while 15th placed Colne will look to build on a transitional season following relegation last season.

North West Counties First Division North results in brief

Holker Old Boys rounded out their season with a 4-2 win at Steeton. Four second half goals from the Cumbrian side turned the game around after the Yorkshire side scored twice in the opening quarter hour.

Charlie McGladdery, Brandon Collins, Frankie Ellis and Nathan Reid were on target. The Barrow side end the season in ninth place.

Two Chris Lomax goals set Ashton Town on the road to a 3-1 victory over bottom side Maine Road. Jamie Schofield pulled one back for the visitors before Michael Howard settled it with six minutes left to play.

Maine Road have been North West Counties members since the 1987-88 season, but this season’s last placed finish means a return to county football is on the cards for the Brantingham Road club.

READ NEXT: Fulwood Amateurs score 5 in first Step 6 win

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