CHADDERTON PREVIEW
The last away regular league game of the season and it is a Friday night under the lights as we head over to Avro’s Vestacare Stadium to face Chadderton, a side for so long were one of the serious promotion contenders but have drastically faltered.
MATCH: Chadderton v Ramsbottom United
VENUE: Vestacare Stadium, White Bank Road, Oldham, OL8 3JH
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Friday 11th April 2025
KICK-OFF: 7:45pm
ADMISSION: Adults £7, Concessions £4
OVERVIEW:
For quite some time, it was thought that this fixture between Chadderton and Ramsbottom United would be a title shoot-out. Bury might have had a say in that, of course, but it was a three-way fight for the top spot coming into the New Year.
Fast forward a few months and the Rams have secured third place, a home play-off berth in a fortnight’s time, second most victories in a season and a record-equalling 96 league points. And Chadderton? Seventh place and out of the play-off picture.
It has been a horror run for the one-time league leaders, who came into the pre-Christmas programme on a run of eight wins and top of the ladder. But since then, just three wins from their next 16 league contests, including a 4-1 victory last Friday night at ‘home’ to Pilkington.
However, look at this record at your peril as Chad, hoping that this will be the last time that they play at their temporary home at Avro’s Vestacare Stadium whilst their Andrew Street home continues to be renovated, will want to put a dent into the Rams’ recent momentum as they head into the end-of-season fun and frolics.
The Rams come into this fixture with six wins in a row and only two goals conceded – an impressive record only bettered by the top two. Bury have not conceded in their last six and Lower Breck just the once. We have 96 points, which would have been more than enough to win the league last season but its not enough to even finish in the top two this time around – you have to take your hats off to Bury and Lower Breck for their remarkable resiliance.
But, with so much at stake in the coming weeks – the final two league games and then the play-off match and then, the possibility of a final … well, to throw out the time honoured footballing cliche, ‘every game is a cup final’!
Buckle up, Rammy Ultras!
RAMS v CHADDERTON HISTORY
It was 25 years between league meetings prior to last season’s games in the NWCFL – we met in NWCFL Division 1 in 1998 and won both, 5-3 at the Riverside and 1-0 at Andrew Street. Last season, it was a very different story as Chadderton did the double over us, a 3-2 success at the HWRS and a 2-1 March reverse at Andrew Street.
Just one goal separated the sides back in mid-February when Richie Baker’s third minute strike was enough for the Rams to take the spoils against a ten-man Chadderton side, who had former Rams player Matthew Crothers (10 appearances in 2015) sent off after just 19 minutes.
Overall, it’s 5-4 in the head to head stakes to the Rams and we lead 21-17 goals wise.
STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“We are in good form at the moment with six wins in a row but we cannot come into this game with anything other than the mentality to continue that run against a Chadderton side who pushed us very hard back in February, even with 10 men for most of the game.
“There is just two more regular league games to go before we host the play-off match on the 26th April. That is going to be a great contest and we have been outstanding this season but there is no room for any complacency or let off now.”
