PREVIEW – CHEADLE TOWN
To use and slightly amend the words of the great Righteous Brothers number 1 hit of 1964 …. “You’ve Lost That Winning Feeling”. Oh, have we ever! It was 10 games ago that we enjoyed celebratory beers. So the question is, with seven games to go, can we taste them again? It won’t be an easy task against an in-form Cheadle Town side.
MATCH: Cheadle Town v Ramsbottom United
VENUE: Park Road Stadium, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 2AN
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Saturday 6th April 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
DISTANCE FROM RAMMY: 33 minutes, 25 miles
ADMISSION: Adults £6, Concessions £2
OVERVIEW:
I suppose you could also throw in The Three Degrees’ huge number one hit “When Will I See You Again” when referring to three points in the North West Counties. The supporters have been, seen, watched and endured this season with great resolve as the team flounder from one defeat to another, grabbing the odd draw along the way.
It was now over two months ago that the Rams last won a game – the sensational 5-1 mauling of Litherland REMYCA. Oh how we laughed as we still contemplated a late charge to the play-offs. Nine games and two points later, we continue to stare tentatively at an unimaginable finish in the lower realms of the table.
We are just two points clear of Pilkington in 23rd place. Yes, we have games in hand but, as mentioned before, how often have we said that. In 26 seasons of playing at this level or higher, our lowest league finish was 18th in the 2005/06 under Lee Sculpher. There is a serious danger that that will be equalled (we are five points behind Barnoldswick in 17th and 12 points shy of another side).
That other side, currently in 16th place but with that massive twelve points gulf are Cheadle Town, who are fourth in the current form table. You don’t need to ask where we are!
Cheadle are unbeaten in their last nine league games including a victory over title chasing Wythenshawe and excellent wins over Lower Breck and Glossop North End in their last three. They are flying on the back of a plethora of goals from Jordan Lazenbury and a former Ram in Wealth DaSilva. They are in free scoring form …. eek!
But you never know. One thing that is a bit of a rarity in this season will happen in this game. It’s actually being played on the originally scheduled day! This is not a rearrangement! Good heavens above …. yeah, watch it rain now.
HISTORY:
If there was ever something to throw your hat on in hope of a resurgence is that the Rams lead 11-2 in the head-to-head stakes, having lost just one in the last 13 meetings between the sides. We have only lost once at the Park Road Stadium, that coming way back in September 1995 when Cheadle Town took a 2-0 success.
The other defeat, on 20th February 2001 at the Riverside, was one that anyone involved with Ramsbottom United will never forget. Cheadle Town won 2-1 but it was the events post match that left a club stunned, shocked and in mourning with the sudden passing of manager Ken Bridge.
He would not have been enjoying seeing the Rams in their current plight althoug he may have enjoyed the reverse fixture back in September that the Rams won 2-0. If you would like to read all about a winning Rammy team …. here you go!
MANAGER’S THOUGHTS:
“It was another disaapointing result on Wednesday in a game that we should have been well out of sight in the first 25 minutes. We just cannot afford to miss the amount of chances that we did but also defend as poorly as we did either.
“We told the players to keep their discipline with the referee but we still had two players sin-binned and, if things weren’t bad enough, we have suffered three more injuries to add to the list, two of which for Rick Whittingham and Kuda Chingwaro are season enders.
“This will not be an easy game against a good Cheadle side who have found form at the right time but we have to find a way of breaking this awful run.”
