MATCH: Ramsbottom United v 1874 Northwich
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom
COMPETITION: Pitching In Northern Premier League West Division
DATE: Tuesday 1st March 2022
KICK-OFF: 7.45pm
ADMISSION:
You can pay on the gate – adults £9, concessions £5, students (age 17-18) £6, children under 12 £1 (with a paying adult). Pie and Peas available throughout the evening – and tea and coffee in a proper mug! Programmes are £2 each.
OVERVIEW:
It was reported to be Iain Dowie, describing how his 2003/04 season Crystal Palace side had gone from the fringes of relegation to winning promotion that season, who coined a word that found its way into the Oxford English Dictionary some 18 months later.
That word has come to be used in many sporting ways when a team comes from adversity to regain some sort of positivity. That word is ‘bouncebackability’.
After what some have described as one of the worst Rammy performances on Saturday, gifting Glossop North End the easiest of 3-0 victories – all three set up by our errors – Tuesday night’s match under the lights is one where the team need, no – must, bounce back once again.
The last time they played at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium saw the produce one of their best performances of the campaign to down Clitheroe 3-0. To go from that to the depths of the Glossop loss is particularly hard to take.
So the arrival of 1874 Northwich, for the first time in their short history, is a chance to put that right. It is also a chance to put behind us the wrenching 1-0 defeat at Barnton earlier in the season when Matthew Woolley grabbed a late, late winner to give the home side victory.
However, the visitors have an eviable away record of just one defeat in their last 8 on the road whereas the Rams have collected just a single point and scored 2 goals in their last 10 away from the HWRS. Their only defeat came in their last away game, a 3-1 loss to Warrington Rylands.
With no current permanent home ground, 1874 probably feel that they are always away from home!
So this is going to be a huge game with tentative talk as the Rammy faithful hauled themselves away from Surrey Street on Saturday of that dreaded ‘R’ word. That play off spot is just four points behind us although Prescot Cables have played three games more.
It matters not – the Rams have 11 games to play.
There was another entry into the Oxford English Dictionary in 2005 alongside ‘bouncebackability’, coined by Sir Alex Ferguson. That was “squeeky bum time” … that time is edging ever closer if performances last Saturday continue.
STAT OF THE PREVIEW:
The last six games that Rammy and 1874 have played have an almost identical record – won 1, drawn 1, lost 4, goals conceded 11, points scored 4. The only difference is 1874 have scored 9 and the Rams 7.
LEAGUE FORM GUIDE (most recent game first):
Ramsbottom United: L W L D L L
1874 Northwich: D L L L W L
HISTORY:
You can read all about the history between the Rams and 1874 Northwich in our comprehensive “Have We Met” article – originally produced for the November fixture.
TEAM NEWS:
“Hopefully, tonight’s game has come quick in order to give us a chance to put Saturdays performance behind us, I don’t want to take anything from Glossop I thought they were really good”, said manager Lee Donafee.
“As for our own performance I thought it was the worse I’ve seen as a manager, I felt embarrassed at the end of the game, I normally back the lads and carry blame myself but not this time, Everything we worked on in training and preparation before the game none of it was taken on board or applied during game.
“Tonight against 1874 the lads who were part of Saturdays starting 11 owe myself and the fans a better performance, I will be looking to make changes if possible as i won’t tolerate the lack of effort or desire I witnessed on Saturday.
“I’m still angry now the fact we only made 1 change to team that beat Clitheroe to not even turn up on Saturday”.
TK is available for selection and will be in squad, Tom Hartley is unavailable as he has prior commitments and Khalil is available and will be in squad.
