GLOSSOP NORTH END PREVIEW
An early November Saturday in the Peak District is league leaders Ramsbottom United’s next challenge, leaving behind the first unbeaten calendar month since December 2019! Can the Rams get November off to a whizz-bang-ooooohhh kind of start – as we reach the half-way point of the league campaign.
MATCH: Glossop North End v Ramsbottom United
VENUE: Asgard Engineering Stadium, Surrey Street, Glossop, SK13 7AJ
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Saturday 2nd November 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: Adults £10 | Concessions £6 | Under 16s £2
OVERVIEW:
No, it’s true – Saturday’s game will be match number 23 of the league season and there is still six months of it to go. You really do have to feel for the players, the management, the supporters and the extraordinarily hard working unsung heroes of non-league football – the volunteers – who have crashed from game to game to game to game and reach this point with still so long in the season to go.
Twelve unbeaten games the run currently stands at but, and it is a quite sizable but, we head to Glossop North End on Saturday, a side we have not beaten in the last five meetings across the NPL and NWCFL. Our history goes all the way back to 1997 and this game will be the 45th competitive meeting between the sides.
It is the recent history that will alert all Rammy supporters. Two draws in the last two games, one coming earlier this season when Lewis Reilly’s first half strike was cancelled out by Luke Sephton in the second half and then there was the dramatic 2-2 draw last time up at Surrey Street in October last year thanks to Conal Gallagher’s injury time equaliser (pictured above). Those draws came on the back of three consecutive league losses to the Hillmen.
Of course, this is a very different Rammy side who are enjoying a five point lead at the top of the table while Glossop have lost their last three in all competitions and are winless in their last five with a couple of good draws with Bury and Longridge Town prior to their drop off in form.
They are sat in 18th place in the table with 22 points from their 19 games and have only enjoyed two wins from ten on their home patch this campaign. Lies, damn lies and statistics of course, but you can be assured that former Rams player Richard Brodie will have his team charged up for the challenge.
For the Rams, another good weeks break from the action means as they put their impressive run on the line once more – hoping that unlucky 13 doesn’t strike and the hopes fizzle out like a selection of cheap fireworks! Manager Steve Wilkes will certainly not be allowing for that!
HISTORY:
As mentioned, this is the 45th competitive meeting between the sides and the Rams hold a narrow 17-16 head-to-head lead with 11 draws – two of those coming in the last two games. The record in the Derbyshire Peaks is the Rams are slightly ahead again 8-7 with six draws but the Rams are winless in their last three visits.
STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“This is going to be a difficult game against a good Glossop side that held us at home a couple of months ago so, despite them being down in 18th place, we will not be taking this game lightly at all. Surrey Street is never an easy place to go to to get a result.
“But we have trained well this week after our great performance against Litherland, although I wasn’t there to see it, the feel was that we played some very good football and when you consider that we have only conceded three goals in our last six games, that should say plenty about where we are at.
“We reach the midway point of the season with this game too. I have nothing but praise for the lads, the coaching team, the supporters and all of our volunteers who have had to provide two matches a week flat out for three and a bit months – and we still have six months of the season to go! It’s ridiculous but I have so much respect for them all.”
