COLNE PREVIEW
Take a deep breath. Prepare for the worst. Colne are coming – the Ramsbottom United Kryptonite! The run surely cannot go on… can’t it?
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Colne
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Saturday 28th September 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult) – CASH ONLY
OVERVIEW:
I know that we make reference to it a lot but the record that Colne have over the Rams is becoming something of local legend, like the witches of Pendle Hill. When we travelled north a month ago, Colne had been beaten 8-0 just a few days previously. What happened on the night? The home side took a 1-0 victory. Of course they did!
To date, that remains their only league victory of the season as they sit bottom of the table with only six points to their name in 14 games. Half of those points came from that night against the league leaders!
However, they are under new management with Andy Harrison taking charge and they did get a win over Knaresborough Town in the FA Vase last weekend putting them into the 1st round proper in mid-October. Meanwhile, their league form remains a mystery as they fell 2-1 to Padiham in midweek which was their sixth league reverse in a row, scoring four goals in the process and conceding 19.
But with 11 wins in the last 13 against the Rams, they will surely travel to the HWRS with some encouragement given they will have a piece of green crystalline material, which they might just call Rambottonite, in their pockets!
With just one defeat in their last seven games and holding a four point lead at the top of the table, the Rams go into this match on the back of two indifferent performances but where they were still able to take all six points on offer from the games against Prestwich Heys and Cheadle Town.
With just over a third of the league campaign completed, the Rams are firmly in the shake up and are keeping those chasing at bay for now but with the words of manager Steve Wilkes ringing in their ears, just get the job done as they have done in the last two.
It’s top of the table v bottom of the table. But it is Ramsbottom United v Colne … goodness only knows what will happen!!
HISTORY:
This is the 37th meeting between Rammy and Colne with the men in red holding an 19-15 lead with only two draws (0-0 in 2022 at HWRS and 1-1 in 2010 at Holt House). Colne hold a 55-50 goal advantage and they are one of the few sides in our history that have won more at HWRS than lost – 10 victories to 7.
We first met 28 years ago – 21 August 1996 at the Riverside where goals from Martin Hulme, Karl Stanley and a brace from Craig Chadwick gave the Rams a 4-1 win.
The fixture last season at the HWRS saw Colne win 2-0 (pictured above) with Hasler-Cregg and Weaver both seeing Billy Priestley’s side to victory.
STEVE WILKES’ THOUGHTS:
“We have had to dig deep in the last couple of games and Saturday will be another tough game.
“I know Colne are down there but they were the team that gave us our first defeat this season so we will not be taking them lightly. I was there on Tuesday night watching them and they played very well. We just need to dust ourselves down, we have got a couple of injuries in the squad but we will go again.
“We know the record but it’s time to put that to bed. They have got a new manager in Andy and my players know they are in a game because of what happened a couple of weeks ago. We didn’t take them lightly that night and we won’t be doing either on Saturday.”
