PREVIEW – COLNE (H)
It is back to home comforts for a Saturday afternoon local-ish derby at the HWRS as old friends Colne head down the valley for what is a crucial game for both sides.
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Colne
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Saturday 17th February 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult)
OVERVIEW:
There is definitely signs of improvement in the Rammy ranks over the last couple of weeks. Two wins over Lower Breck and the pasting of Litherland REMYCA was followed by a battling but ultimately unsuccessful trip to promotion-chasing Wythenshawe Town last weekend, downed by yet another injury time winner.
Three games where the Rams have battled hard, performed well, given everything and, in the main, got their rewards.
And all of this has come off the back of a Friday night visit to our visitors today, Colne – a game which left plenty to be desired despite a good start and feelings of ‘things that could have been’ on the night.
Since then, there has been a few new faces come in, a few have left but the group is gelling well and hopes are high that, with 15 games left to play, there is a drive to climb the NWCFL ladder and finish as high as possible. Playoffs? Let’s park that for now… and see what happens.
Colne have been in very fine form but since beating the Rams 4-1, they have faltered a little with a 1-0 reverse at home to Irlam and two back-to-back draws with Lower Breck and Barnoldswick Town in their last three games.
The visitors are in 10th place in the table, just eight points away from the play-off berths while the Rams find themselves in a position they have become rather accustomed to being this term – 16th. It could be worse, it could be better but with manager Steve Wilkes up and about… if not exactly running… after his knee operation, hopes are high.
HISTORY:
This will be the 35th competitive meeting between the Rams and Colne since the first in Division 2 of the NWCFL in August 1996, a game that the Rams won 4-1 and we would secure promotion as league champions that season.
The story in the more recent history is not one the Rams are fond of – just one win in their last 11 games (3-1 in September 2021 with goals from James Murphy, Eddie Cooper and Godwin Abadaki with Lee Pugh claiming a last minute consolation). That victory was at the HWRS but the last six games on our patch have been 4 Colne wins, 1 draw and 1 win.
The record at home is 7 wins for Rammy, 9 for Colne and one draw and the visitors hold a 32-26 goal lead too.
If you need a reminder, there is the report from the game at the back end of January…
STEVE WILKES’ THOUGHTS:
A decidedly sore Steve is back on the sidelines – sitting down! And he is looking forward to the game, and being back!
“After speaking to Scott and Mikey last weekend it was quite apparent that we should have got something out of the game, so disappointed to be walking away with nothing.
“Saturday will show us if we have progressed in recent weeks after losing to Colne 4-1 not long ago. We still have a couple of key players out injured but the squad has shown recently that we can compete.
“We’ve made a couple of additions this week which will help bolster the squad further and we’re looking forward to a local derby where hopefully we can get a decent crowd.”
