PREVIEW – CHARNOCK RICHARD (A)
After two successful cup games, we return to league action targetting back to back wins in the NWCFL for just the second time this campaign but standing in the way is a side who performed admirably at the HWRS just three weeks ago and took a 1-1 draw away with them.
MATCH: Charnock Richard vs Ramsbottom United
VENUE: Mossie Park, Charter Lane, Charnock Richard, Chorley, PR7 5LZ
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 24th October 2023
KICK-OFF: 7:45pm
DISTANCE: 35 miles, 47 minutes
GATE ADMISSION:
Adult – £6, Concession – £4, Under 16s – FREE
OVERVIEW:
A league win, a League Cup win and a FA Vase win. For the first time in two years, the Rams secured three wins in a row. No, honestly! It has been such a barren run of result at the HWRS for the Rams that you had to go back to August/September 2021 to find the last time we tasted success three times in a row – 2-1 away at Kendal Town, 7-1 v Market Drayton Town, 3-0 v Mossley and also 3-1 v Colne in NPL Division 1 West.
A whole four wins in a row… those were the days, eh!
Of course, two of the wins in the last ten days have came in knockout competitions but it is in the league that manager Steve Wilkes is demanding a run of wins and only once this season have the Rams secured back-to-back NWCFL victories when Cheadle Town and Kendal Town were beaten back in September.
Coming into this game, the Rams are in 12th place in the league, only six points shy of the play-off places having secured just five points from the last 12 available and only two wins from their last seven league games.
But our hosts are in 18th place, six points behind. As they often say, don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story…
The fact that Charnock Richard have only played 13 games, have lost just once at home in seven games at their Mossie Park home and are atop the six-match ‘form table’ with five wins and one draw – that draw being the 1-1 at the back end of September when Harvey Whyte’s 57th minute goal was matched by Nathan Nickeas’ hit three minutes later – has not gone unnoticed.
As was proven in the reverse fixture, the Chorley-based men are more than a decent side but the Rams do come into this in some rare good shape themselves so it promises to be quite a clash.
HISTORY:
The 1-1 draw at the HWRS back in September was the only match between the sides previously.
MANAGER’S THOUGHTS:
Whilst more than happy with three wins in a row, Steve Wilkes wasn’t so much with his sides’ second half performance at Pilkington on Saturday and is demanding more from his side, knowing that this game will be a serious test.
“After Saturday’s roller coaster ride of a game, we find ourselves once in midweek league action away to Charnock Richard, one of the toughest places to go.
“We played Charnock at home at the end of September drawing the game 1-1, so we know how tough tonights game will be. We’re in good form, although the last two have been cup wins, we need to now start getting a consistent run of wins in the league and hopefully we can keep the run going tonight.”
