PADIHAM PREVIEW

There is no time to lick wounds or mope around following Friday nights defeat to FC St Helens, there is still a long way to go in the promotion race as one of the serious challengers heads down the valley in the shape of fourth placed Padiham.

MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Padiham
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 4th March 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 hugely disappointing for those passionate Rammy supporters in and amongst the 550+ strong crowd that poured into the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium on Friday night to kick off the Groundhop weekend – and those of us further afield.

That feeling of throwing away a comfortable two goal lead deep into the second half to lose 3-2 in the final minutes of the contest has made the challenge of gaining automatic promotion that much tougher but hope is still high and, as manager Steve Wilkes admitted post match, there is still a lot of twists and turns ahead over the next few weeks.

So now is the time to put that behind us, put it down to experience and move forward to one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures in the remaining nine to play – the visit of valley neighbours Padiham.

Michael Morrison’s side have quietly gone about their business throughout the season, sitting whilst the likes of Bury, Rammy, Chadderton and co were all tustling it out at the summit just outside of the play-offs with plentiful games in hand.  Now those games have been played and they are in fourth with 72 points, just six points behind the second placed Rams.

The second leading goalscorers this season with 90, they have overcome their recent blip of one league win in five to record a triple of successes over FC St Helens, Colne and AFC Liverpool in their last three so travel to the HWRS, where they haven’t lost in a league match since 2009 having won their last four on our patch, with some confidence.

As for the Rams, a first home league defeat since September was not on the agenda and five wins from the last 10 played has seen the gap at the top extend to 10 points although the Rams have played two fewer.  But there are sharks in the water just below the surface with Lower Breck now able to overtake the Rams if they win their game in hand and still plenty of interest from West Didsbury and Chorlton, Irlam and even still Chadderton, whose form has dropped off a cliff.

What will the next nine games have in store?  The players and staff will be giving it their all as there is still lots to play for – but this game with Padiham, who we did beat at the Arbories back in September 4-1 in the reverse fixture, is a considerable hurdle in the end of season sprint.

RAMMY v PADIHAM HISTORY
It is quite something when you look at the history of fixtures between the A56 rivals.  Just under 13 miles separate the two towns but whenever the Storks head south into Rams territory, more often than not, they have taken the spoils.

Whilst the Rams did win 4-1 back in September thanks to Tom Hoyle, Oumar Camara, Luke Sephton and Rob Wilson’s penalty, it has generally been a tale of woe with the blues winning just two of the previous eight encounters in the leagues – whether it be NWC or NPL!

The last time the Rams won at home to Padiham was on 5 December 2009 when Eddie O’Neill’s double and strikes from Lee Connell and Bernard Morley took the hosts into a 4-1 lead only for Nehru McKenzie and Damien Morrison to pull two goals back late on – the Rams just about held on!

But since then, defeats!  2-1 in 2010, 3-2 in 2011 – against a side containing Shuttleworth, Blackley, Fletcher, Telfer, Hulme, Morris, Sensale and O’Neill – 2-1 in 2013 in NPL 1N (Kieron Pickup scoring twice) and 3-0 last season (pictured above) and, well, there are some who will look at this fixture with some trepidation!

Overall it is 8-6 to the visitors but the goals tally being 28-28!  At the Riverside, 5-2 to the visitors although only 12-15 in goals.

STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“It was a disappointing night on the pitch on Friday and we simply need to stop giving leads away when comfortable in the game.

“To be leading 2-0 with less than half hour to go and then to go on and lost, that’s criminal from us.

“The players know we need to be better at game management and that includes me and the staff.  And we will go into this match against a very good Padiham side knowing that.

“There’s still a long way to go in this season and everyone knows the significance of this game.  Padiham are having a great season and they are a good side that we will need to be at our best to beat.”