EUXTON VILLA PREVIEW
After yet another abandonment on Saturday, the Rams head into three back-to-back home games starting on Tuesday night with the visit of Euxton Villa, who come to the HWRS for the first time in their league history.
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Euxton Villa
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 24th February 2026
KICK-OFF: 7:45pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions (over 67) – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult).
NOTE: We are a CASH ONLY stadium – there are NO CARD FACILTIES at the ground.
OVERVIEW:
It was hugely frustrating that the weather got the better of the game on Saturday at West Didsbury and Chorlton with the game level at 0-0 at the break so its another game left to play in this marathon of a season.
However, it’s time to strap yourselves in for a bounty of two game weeks starting with this home game with Euxton Villa, newcomers to the NWCFL Premier Division and heading into town for the first time in the league – although we have played them a couple of times in the FA Vase.
With results going in our favour last weekend while we went home early, especially Wythenshawe’s defeat at FC Isle of Man, the Rams come into these three huge home games knowing that victories will put a heap of pressure on the league leaders who remain 12 points clear but having played three games more. The excitement levels just cranked up a notch or two.
Our opponents, Euxton Villa, are one of those sides in the table who are very comfortable despite being down in 18th place but 21 points clear of the drop zone so the remainder of the season for them is about looking to climb to their highest ever league position in their history, having stepped up from Division 1 North last season.
They come into the game on the back of a 4-0 win over City of Liverpool on Saturday but had lost three on the spin prior to that so have had an up and down season but will be more than happy with their debut campaign with 9 wins from their 31 games and 10 draws – the league’s draw specialists alongside Prestwich Heys.
As for the Rams, its a home game and the unbeaten home league record still stands but there are some massive games up ahead, including this. This is going to be fun!
FACILITIES
The game at Ramsbottom United will be by payment in CASH at the turnstile (the club does not have a card facility). Prices are as shown above and programmes are £2.
Due to adjacent building works, parking for spectators should be away from the ground, in either town centre car parks (drivers are advised to check any time limits) or in the various side streets, all of which are no more than 5-10 minutes walk away but please be mindful of local residents and businesses.
Please be aware that the access road to Ramsbottom Cricket Club and Ramsbottom United FC has now had a no parking policy imposed with immediate effect carrying a fine of £100. Please do not park on this road.
Various bus routes come into Ramsbottom town centre (https://bustimes.org/localities/ramsbottom for details) and the East Lancs Railway (https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/western-region-weekend/) station is adjacent to the ground.
Tea Bar serving hot and cold drinks, pie and peas, sweets, crisps etc will be open within the ground, as will the Can Bar serving beer, lager and cider.
HISTORY
We offer a very warm welcome to everyone who has come down from Euxton Villa for this game.
As mentioned, we welcome everyone to the HWRS for a league game for the very first time although we locked horns in back-to-back FA Vase seasons in 2023 and 2024 with the Rams coming out on top on both occasions – 3-0 the first time around with goals from Matt Dudley, Henri Ogunby and Martyn Jackson and we repeated the dose a year later in round one when Tom Hoyle (above) and Oumar Camara hit home in the 2-0 success.
The first league game between the sides was back in September and a Jacob Holland-Wilkinson hat-trick along with Harvey Hayhurst’s goal saw the Rams comfortable 4-0 winners – a three goal burst across six minutes early in the first half doing the major damage.
STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“To have yet another game abandoned, two in the same season, is not something that happens very often but, like the Wythenshawe game, it was the right decision as the rain made the pitch unplayable.
“So we now head into this run of three home games and then three away knowing how important they are, starting with this game against Euxton Villa, who have done well in their first season in the league.
“For us, it is great that we are on a good run of form and with other results helping us, we are right in the shake up for promotion. Let’s get behind the lads like we always go and see where it takes us.”
