PREVIEW – LITHERLAND REMYCA (H)
Saturday’s match against Litherland REMYCA is a double celebratory game. For it is the Rams’ 1,950th league match since the first in 1966 but also manager Steve Wilkes’ 1,200th as a football manager. With the rot stopped last Tuesday night, can we make it back-to-back and make it a big party night?
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Litherland REMYCA
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties Premier Division
DATE: Saturday 3rd February 2024
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult)
OVERVIEW:
The sense of relief on Tuesday night was palpable. Having gone six matches without a league win and collecting just a single point in that time, the Rams’ 3-2 win over in-form Lower Breck put the smiles back on the faces, a skip back in the step and breathing became a little easier.
Of course, it will mean very little if you don’t back it up. That is something the Rams have only managed twice this season – the first way back in early September when the 2-0 win over Cheadle Town was followed with a 2-1 win at Kendal Town and the second was a 3-0 win at Irlam on 19 December followed up the 3-0 win against Burscough … albeit 24 days earlier!
That will be the message that Steve Wilkes, in his 1,200th game at his sixth different club as a manager, will be instiling into his charges. They showed their resilience after an indifferent opening 20 minutes to produce a fine performance in downing the play-off chasers from Anfield Sports Centre and scoring three goals for the first time in seven games.
Scoring goals certainly isn’t the problem – in fact, only twice in the 29 league games have the Rams failed to hit the target, day one at Wythenshawe and that mind-blower against Prestwich Heys in mid-September. The issue has been conceding and there was even time for a little bit of late nerves on Tuesday night as Breck hit a 97th minute second.
Talking of late goals, we welcome Litherland REMYCA for the very first time at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium. The REMY are the second Liverpudlian side in a row to head east in search of points, sat squarely in the middle of the table in 11th but only securing two points from their last three games but only one defeat in the last six.
However, their away record in the league this season does leave a little to be desired with just four wins and eight defeats from their 15 games on their travels although this is only their second away fixtures snce the end of November – coming away from Glossop North End with a Robert Grant hat-trick inspired 3-3 draw.
One thing is for certain that they will certainly not be a … ahem … pushover!
HISTORY:
We have only met Litherland REMYCA once previously and the report from that 1-1 draw at the beginning of January is here as a reminder of the events of that day.
STEVE WILKES’ THOUGHTS:
“We had a little bit of luck on Tuesday night for our first goal but once we realised we got our shape wrong, we played very well and deserved the victory.
“But we know that it means nothing if we don’t back it up in this game against Litherland. We can’t win a game on Tuesday and get beaten on the Saturday because you go back to square one.
“I think confidence is a massive thing so hopefully if we show the fighting qualities that we had in the game against Lower Breck then we can start to make a move up the table, but we know it won’t be easy against a competitive REMY side.”
