Squires Gate (A)
NWCFL Premier Division
Matchday 20
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Preview
West travel west to Squires Gate on Tuesday night with the aim of arresting a slight decline in recent form.
The game follows a 4-3 loss at home to AFC Liverpool on Saturday which means that West have picked up just four points in the last four games. That result still leaves the club on the fringes of the playoff zone but, with a dwindling number of games in hand, West will know that they need to quickly return to winning ways if they want to keep apace with those ahead of them.
Tuesday's trip to Squires Gate is one of those games that West still have in hand over their league rivals - the match was initially due to be played on the weekend West hosted Darlington in the FA Cup - and there are only four other midweek fixtures taking place across the division. West sit in 7th place at the time of writing and, with neither FC Isle of Man (5th) or AFC Liverpool (6th) playing until the weekend, three points on Tuesday night would see West make up some ground.
Opponents Squires Gate are 19th in the table but West will know that the trip to the Brian Addison Stadium is not one to take for granted. Only one side in the whole division has scored more home goals than Gate, who are also unbeaten in their last five home league games. West on the other hand are playing their third consecutive Tuesday evening away game and the two previous trips, to Barnoldswick Town and Prestwich Heys, yielded only a single point.
In addition, West will be without both Victor Abadaki and Jimmy Moore, who are both suspended. It is at least the final match of Abadaki's four-match suspension and he will be eligible to play at Ryton & Crawcrook Albion in the FA Vase on Saturday. In other positive news, Tom Murray will return from suspension and should return to the starting lineup on Tuesday.
Despite their good home form, Squires Gate do approach this match after a 5-0 humbling to Cheadle Town at the weekend and after the match their manager Luke Evans said that it "could have been 10, easy". His comments after the match made it clear that he was looking for a reaction on Tuesday and West will need to be at their best to bring three points back to Manchester.
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Squires Gate At A Glance
Home colours: All blue
Change colours: All red
Pitch surface: Grass
2023/24 position: 23rd, NWCFL Premier
2023/24 average attendance: 121
Travelling distance: 52 miles
West away season round trip: 552 miles
Squires Gate were formed in 1948 as Squires Gate British Legion, spending their first decade in the Blackpool & District Amateur League. In 1961, the club moved up to the West Lancashire League, where it remained for the next thirty years before election to the North West Counties Football League in 1991.
After ten years in the Second Division, Gate were promoted to the First Division in 2002 - which was renamed the Premier Division in 2008 - and have remained there ever since.
Despite a number of close calls, finishing 17th or lower seven times in the last 11 years, Gate proudly maintain a record of having never been relegated. They finished 23rd last season, albeit still 10 points ahead of bottom side Skelmersdale United.
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Form Guide
Squires Gate
Position: 19th
Form position: 18th
Home position: 13th
Last six overall: LWDLLD
Last six home: WDLDWW
West
Position: 7th
Form position: 7th
Away position: 12th
Last six overall: LDWLWW
Last six away: DLWDWW
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Head to Head
Overall
P19 W10 D2 L7 F39 A26
At The Brian Addison Stadium
P9 W7 D0 L2 F20 A8
West have won on each of their last seven visits to Squires Gate and have a far better record here than when welcoming the Blues to Chorlton. In those seven wins, West have scored an impressive ten goals in the 85th minute or later so this is definitely not a game to leave early.
West's most recent trip to Squires Gate resulted in a 5-1 away win for the Parakeets during last year's August Bank Holiday. Despite going behind in the first minute, a rampant West side got themselves back in front with goals from Darren McKnight, Lewis Billingsley and Ben Elliott. The performance was then rounded off by two goals in second-half stoppage time from Dontai Gabidon. You can read our full report from that match HERE.
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Browse through our wonderful match galleries, from club photographers:
Nathan Ashmall, Chris Michell, Jack Todd and Christina Bowett.
