PRESTWICH HEYS PREVIEW
The last of the October fest of six home games but the start of a crucial week in our drive for top spot as we play in-form Prestwich Heys in back-to-back league games, four days apart, the first of which is at the HWRS on Tuesday.
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Prestwich Heys
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: North West Counties League Premier Division
DATE: Tuesday 28th October 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:
With a raft of results going in our favour, the gap at the top of the table has been reduced to just two points after 16 games and it is all to play for – but this week could make or break the hopes of the Rams.
Because, the authors of one of the favourable results on Saturday heads into the HWRS looking to take another scalp and improve their own outstanding recent record and could back it up when November kicks off next weekend – that’s the dangerous Prestwich Heys.
Heys are continue to reflect in the glow of defeating the league leaders Padiham on their own patch 2-0, adding to their record which has seen them lose just two of their last 12 games in all competitions – a surprise 2-1 loss at Abbey Hey last Tuesday and, of course, the 3-2 defeat to the Rams in the Macron Cup in mid-October.
But Louis Holt’s double, either side of the break, was enough to crack Padiham fortress and they make the short journey from north Manchester looking to do the same to the Rams, who have won eight and drawn two of their 10 home league clashes this term and are the other side left in the NWCFL Premier Division to maintain their home ‘zero losses’.
However, when you are talking of in form teams, you cannot look too much further than the Rams, who are six from six in October and with three clean sheets on the bounce, including the comfortable 4-0 victory over Abbey Hey at the weekend thanks to the impressive Jacob Holland-Wilkinson first half triple which saw off the contest.
But the Rams know just how crucial this week will be before a hectic November commences with nine games – only four of them at home though, including away games at Wythenshawe and Chadderton and a home clashes with West Didsbury and Chorlton (cup) and Irlam before the month is out and then West Didsbury again to start December – 11 games in six busy weeks … much will be known come then!
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 cricket and 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.
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 coming up from Prestwich Heys for this game.
The Rams and Heys didn’t meet in the NWCFL until our return to the league back in 2023 and it has been a tale of two very different seasons!
We were old foes from the Manchester League days with two losses in the league – two high scoring losses as well, 5-3 at Sandgate Road and 3-2 at the Riverside – but we would secure the Gilgryst Cup in May 1995 after extra time, taking the spoils 3-2.
It was a long wait before we would meet again and in that first season, we suffered two heavy losses, that 3-0 defeat at Adie Moran Park which still sticks long in the memory and then a 4-2 loss at the HWRS in March 2024 with Harvey Hayhurst and Oscar Lucas scoring for the home side but it was too little, too late.
Last season though, it was different! A pair of goals from the Sephton brothers, Luke on 56 and Scott on 84, ensured all three points were secured at the HWRS in September and it was the same score line earlier this year in March, coming back from an early home strike to take the victory when Tom Hoyle and a 97th minute winner from Luke Barlow sealing the win.
And then there was the League Cup victory, a 5-0 thumping – all five goals coming in a first half barrage to book our place in the quarter-finals and the Rams repeated the dose with an exciting 3-2 win in Round 2 of the Macron just a couple of weeks ago with Oscar Radcliffe’s injury time winner seeing the Rams home.
STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“I was really pleased with our performance against Abbey Hey on Saturday. We knew it would be a difficult game as they showed what they were about in the reverse fixture but we set up well and Jacob’s first-half hat-trick was superb, closing out the game early and we kept yet another clean sheet which is exactly how we want to be.
“However, we know this is a key week in our season as Heys come off the back off a great win over Padiham at the weekend that would have filled them with plenty of confidence but we need to continue our good form into this game and when we go to theirs on Saturday.
“November is a big month for us, we know that, with some big games but every game is key to what we are trying to achieve but these two games against an in-form Heys will certainly show where we are at.”
