CHARNOCK RICHARD PREVIEW
So the unbeaten league run came to its end on a grey day in Liverpool but no time to dwell, a home game against another in-form side in the shape of Charnock Richard comes around on Tuesday night under the HWRS lights.
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Charnock Richard
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 21st January 2025
KICK-OFF: 7:45pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult) – CASH ONLY
PARKING:
Please note that due to the commencement of works on the old Mondi mill site off Bridge Street there’ll be no parking on Acre Bottom Lane on the approach to the cricket and football clubs. Please make use of alternative parking and be mindful of residents and restrictions.
OVERVIEW:
It was just one of those days on Saturday and Lower Breck deserved their victory against a side short of five key players. It was naturally hugely disappointing to see the record go, but Tuesday night is a chance to commence another.
Standing in the way are Charnock Richard, who are down in 12th place in the table, but come into this game having won six of their last 7 games across all competitions, their own blip being their 3-3 draw away at AFC Liverpool on Saturday.
This is the Rams’ game in hand so victory will see them regain top spot with 14 games left to play. As it was said back in 2011-12 when the Rams last stepped up from the North West Counties League – every game is a Cup Final and there is little room for manoeuvre. Chadderton and Lower Breck will have a major say in the promotion shake-up but so will West Didsbury & Chorlton and even Padiham too, who have quietly come up on the rails and have four games in hand over the Rams and are 12 points behind.
For the Rams, it is time to put Saturday behind us but also starting finding the net again as another way of looking at things is that the Rams have won just four of their last nine games and also not scored in their last two matches.
There will be lots of twists and turns across this remaining 15 games where we must face Chadderton twice, Charnock Richard twice and host Padiham and West Didsbury amongst many other potential banana skins. It’s going to be fun but, that is exactly what we said 13 years ago!
7.45pm kick-off at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium – remember it is CASH ONLY please!
HISTORY:
Just the two matches between ourselves and Charnock Richard and the Rams have yet to taste success!
The two matches in the 2023/24 season saw the spoils shared in September’s 1-1 at the HWRS (pictured above) with Harvey Whyte’s strike cancelled out just thre minutes later on the hour by Nathan Nickeas.
It was very different in the reverse fixture though as the hosts piled on 5-1 with goals from Lewis Haydock, Nickeas, Kevin Spinelli and two for Rustam Stepans – another snapped up by Bury then! Matthew Johnson scored the Rams’ sole response.
STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“It was a tough day at the office on Saturday and going to Breck at any time of the season is always hard, but going there missing five big players was always going to be a hard ask.
“But we have to dust ourselves down and prepare for another very tough fixture on Tuesday night against an in-form Charnock side. Hopefully we will have players back from their unavailabilies on Saturday.”
