ABBEY HEY PREVIEW
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Abbey Hey
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 30th July 2024
KICK-OFF: 7:45pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult)
OVERVIEW:
It was just 101 days since we bode a tearful farewell to the home 2023/24 season here at the HWRS and the entertaining 0-0 draw with Bury in front of 2,138 spectators. 101 days later, here we are again, still in the midst of the cricket season and willow on leather still audible from the practice facilities behind the Jack Wolfenden Stand.
While the rest of the footballing country is still firmly in pre-season mode, here we are in the North West Counties League in match two already and having grabbed a point at Pilkington on Saturday, our earliest ever home league game sees us welcome a team that we have a very long history with – its a warm welcome and hello once more for the first time in 14 years to Abbey Hey.
6th February 2010 was the last time these two sides met and it was John Blackley who rose highest from a corner to head home, although the visitors were most adamant it didn’t cross the line but the assistant confirmed that it did just before the half-time break to see the Rams home 1-0.
Pictures above from this game show Carl Lomax on the left and Phil Dean on the right.
The fortunes of the two clubs have fluctated greatly since we first clashed in the Manchester Leagues in 1991. The 2009/10 season saw Abbey hit relegation and they have yo-yoed between the NWCFL Premier and Division One a couple of times since but a sensational play-off run after finishing fourth last year and a 4-1 penalty shoot-out win over Stockport Town would see our visitors rejoin the Premier ranks for the first time since 2019.
Abbey didn’t get off to a great start on Saturday, going down to FC St Helens 3-0 whilst the Rams grabbed a last minute equaliser to take a share of the spoils in their opener at Pilkington. It is far too early days to be concerned about results – there were six draws on day one of the season which shows that it is going to be a tight division so anything could happen.
It is just great to throw open the gates and receive the customary warm welcome at the HWRS – warm being the operative word as mid-summer is here! Enjoy the match and the sunshine ….
HISTORY:
The Rams first met Abbey Hey in 1991 in the Manchester League and in each of the four divisions we shared before the Rams departed for the NWCFL, our visitors were the higher placed. In fact, the year the Rams left the Manchester League in 1994/95, Abbey Hey had secured a second successive league title having finished 3rd and 5th in the two preceding years.
It wasn’t until 2000 that the two met in the NWCFL and the Rams welcome them with a 3-0 and 7-0 victories on their way to finishing third in the table and Abbey down in 14th. Rammy has won 15 of the 25 previous contests with Abbey Hey recording six wins and four draws and the goals tally is 39-18 in the Rams favour.
Rammy did complete the double over Abbey Hey in the last season on 2009/10, winning 2-0 at the Abbey Stadium with a first-half goal from Anthony Johnson and a second-half strike from Lee Connell while securing a 1-0 win in his home game with Blackley’s goal as mentioned earlier.
Abbey Hey’s last win over the Rams came in April 2009 when they hit back from going 1-0 down to a Matt Ellis goal to win 4-1 at the Riverside – Danny Hefferman second twice either side of the break and Danny Doherty and Theo Coley ensuring the points headed down the M66.
STEVE WILKES’ THOUGHTS:
“We were disappointed not to have taken all three points on Saturday but I couldn’t fault the efforts of the players. We should have more players to select from, such is the nature of the early start to the season and players being away on holiday or having a few niggles.
“It is very difficult to judge teams this early in the season and, although Abbey Hey lost 3-0 on Saturday at FC St Helens, that is no real gauge of where they are. They will be a good side, that is for sure and we know we need to improve to ensure we get the result that we should have got on Saturday.”
