IRLAM PREVIEW

The recent run of indifference came to a halt on Saturday so, with confidence restored at least, the Rams head into a big home game with play-off chasing Irlam at the HWRS under the lights hoping to continue.

MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Irlam
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 20th November 2025
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 the end of September when the Rams went to Silver Street and came away empty handed courtesy of a 97th minute winner for the home side.  It was a bitter blow for the Rams, who were on a run of six games unbeaten at the time.

This time around, the Rams head into the re-arranged fixture sat in third place and looking to continue where they left off on Saturday at Glossop North End in a winning vein but they know it will not be an easy task.

The Rams put their unbeaten home league record firmly on the line against the Salford based outfit who are handily placed in sixth and with comfortable wins over Cheadle Town and Abbey Hey in the last week, scoring nine goals in the process.

They have two games in hand over fifth placed Burscough and are just a single point behind and a win for them will move them into fourth place, menacingly just behind the Rams.

However, a win for the home side will shut the gap on the top two of Wythenshawe and Padiham and continue the fascination of the NWCFL Premier Division title race which really is anyone’s.

The win on Saturday was crucial to stop the recent run and it came from coming from behind to seal a 2-1 success in the Peaks.  But this game will be a tough one against a side who have won 9 of their 14 games on the road this campaign.

Hopefully the worst of the weather has passed as it really will be a game not to be missed.

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 up from Irlam for this game.

The history of this fixture does date a long way back, into the Manchester League days, when Irlam were called Mitchell Shackleton, the team created from the crankshaft manufacturing and repair company of the area at the time.

But the history of games against Irlam only starts in September 2020 with a FA Cup Preliminary Round game at the HWRS which the Rams won 4-1.  It wasn’t until the Rams’ reappearance in the NWCFL in 2023 that they would finally re-engage in league competition and a 1-1 draw at the HWRS in September 2023 was followed just prior to Christmas with a 3-0 victory at Silver Street, Matt Dudley scoring twice.

It was a similar story in the 2024/25 season, just the other way around!  A victory at the Riverside with all the goals coming in the first 65 minutes as Oumar Camara’s strike put the Rams 3-2 ahead (pictured above) and it was 1-1 at Silver Street, Luke Sephton’s 72nd minute strike being cancelled out nine minutes later by Mitchell Henry.

And then there was September 2025 as mentioned above, a killer 3-2 win for Irlam deep into injury time.  What will happen this time around?  Who knows but you will be keyed in to find out.

STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“It was good to get the win on Saturday at Glossop, which has stopped our recent run of poor results and I am looking forward to being back on the sidelines after my absence!!

“They did the business over us back in September so we know what they are capable of so we look forward to this game as we aim to use the result on Saturday as a jump start.”