Tuesday 26th December 2017 (3pm), NWCFL Premier Division
Maine Road v West
Brantingham Road, M21 0TT
£5 adults, £3 concessions / under-16s

West make the Boxing Day journey to Brantingham Road for the first league South Manchester derby of the season, a fixture which takes on importance beyond local bragging rights.

On a day full of big games at both ends of the table, West will be desperate for a win to avoid being sucked further into the relegation vortex, while Road could draw level on points with fourth-bottom Irlam with victory.

Steve Settle's side will look to continue a recent good derby record, with West winning the last two games at the home of their local rivals, scoring seven goals in the process.

At a glance

Maine Road

M21 isn't the only thing West and Maine Road have had in common this season. As West were putting together their own dreadful run over the autumn, Road were doing likewise - losing nine games in a row in all competitions in October and November, including being dumped out of the Manchester Premier Cup by West and exiting the Macron Cup in even more disastrous fashion, a 7-1 hammering at the hands of First Division Stockport Town.

The appointment of Matt Barnes as manager in mid-November resulted in an upturn in fortunes, with consecutive wins against AFC Darwen and Barnton, but Road have since reverted to type. They come into the Boxing Day derby on the back of two away games in which they conceded a total of nine goals without reply, against City of Liverpool and 1874 Northwich.

As a result, Road are in grave danger of dropping into the NWCFL's second tier for the first time since 2004. They have been busy in the transfer market in a bid to stave off the threat of relegation, signing six players in a week at the end of November.

Last time - Maine Road 1-4 West, Monday 23rd October 2017

West swept aside their local rivals to progress to the quarter-finals of the Manchester Premier Cup. Matthew Morgan scored for the home side inside 40 seconds, but Anthony Potts, Tom Bailey (twice) and Jonny Pozier hit back as West responded with interest.

Read the match report from October's meeting.

Getting to Brantingham Road

By foot
See below for a walking route to Brantingham Road from Chorlton tram stop.

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