Episode 125 of Counties Podcast is here. Finally. It’s the one where if it could go wrong, it did go wrong! The initial podcast recording failed, Lucy broke her phone, Gary had to work, and one of our interviews with Jay Foulds sounded like we’d interviewed a dalek!

Fear not though, Martin Fallon brings you a hastily recorded podcast. No game previews unfortunately, but we cover Performance of the Week, Banker and Shock, and an interview with Wayne Goodison, one half of the 1874 Northwich Management Team ahead of their FA Cup clash this weekend with Ossett Town.

Counties Podcast returns for our longest ever episode with a full complement of panelists. Lucy Weir puts her foot down and hosts as we review all of the weekend games in the Emirates FA Cup, Premier Division and First Division, plus laugh at Mr Fallon’s predictions in Banker and Shock!

Our interview this week comes from Northwich and Winsford Guardian Sports Reporter Andrew Simpson, who discusses the start made by the four clubs in his area, 1874 Northwich, Barnton, Northwich Victoria and Winsford United.

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We’ve had some time in the Podcast office this morning so we’ve taken a break from ordering the intern around and put together some projections for the promotion run in’s in both divisions.

In the Premier Division four teams hold out ambition of breaking the hundred point barrier as Runcorn Linnets lead the league following closely by Colne and Atherton Collieries with 1874 Northwich not far behind. The projections are based on current Points Per Games which of course doesn’t account for improved or loss of form but merely the average across the season to date.

In the relegation battle its either three from four or four form five dependant on whether or not Silsden can take full advantage of their games in hand over AFC Darwen but with most teams with as many as half their games remaining there is so much to play for.

In the First Division there is such a discrepancy between the team with the most games played and the team with the fewest meaning that the maximum points available to some teams is not far off the maximum points on offer!

Although Barnton lead the way, their recent dropped points hasn’t been punished by the in-ability (because of the weather not the clubs themselves) of their opponents to get their games on. Three teams in the First Division have more than half their games to play and all three, Hanley Town, Ashton Town and Holker Old Boys, are Barnton’s championship rivals based on PPG and maximum points available to them. Like Barnton, Stockport Town and Cheadle Town’s ability to get games on has seen them hold play off places and like Barnton they will be hoping that their rivals fixture pile up and the fact that so many teams have to play will still have each other to play.

Either way its set to be an exciting final three months (at least) of the season.

Welcome to episode 7 of Counties Podcast, with Rob McKay, Martin Fallon and Zach Pierce.

Joining us on this week’s episode is Jack Owen, who is now one of the youngest Directors of a football club in England having just been appointed to the board at 1874 Northwich at their recent AGM. He helps review the results from last weekends games in the MEN United Cup and NWCFL, as well as giving some insight into 1874 Northwich, what they are about and where they want to go.

Also joining us for a quick interview is Kieran Halliwell who gives us his thoughts on how his season is going at Atherton LR as well as what he thinks of the newly introduced First Division Play-Offs.