Colne (A)
NWCFL Premier Division
Matchday 22
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Preview
West play their fourth away game on the spin this Saturday as they head to the Haffner's Pies Stadium to face Colne.
The trip to BB8 follows a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Irlam in midweek. That said, there were certainly some positives to take from the way in which West battled back from a three-goal deficit to come within inches of nicking a point at one of the division's form sides.
A trip to Colne is a match where West will have to see themselves as favourites based on the sides' respective league positions. Colne are currently 23rd and moved off the foot of the table for the first time since August last weekend when they won 3-1 away at Stockport Town. Since then, however, Colne have been eliminated from the Macron Cup by Euxton Villa, who are the second Step 6 side to have beaten the Reds in cup competitions during the last month after Atherton LR knocked Colne out of the FA Vase in October.
In terms of league form, that win at Stockport was Colne's first league win since August when they managed an impressive 1-0 over league leaders Ramsbottom United. Those two victories aside, Colne's only points this season have come from four draws that they have picked up alongside 16 league defeats. Three of those draws came against sides who are currently 20th or lower, and they have scored fewer and conceded more goals than any other side in the division. They may however be in the process of turning a corner and have avoided defeat in their last two league matches, having drawn at home to Litherland REMYCA before that win at Stockport.
Colne's difficult start to the season won't necessarily be a comfort to West fans travelling north on Saturday. West have twice this season faced sides who were in the relegation zone at kickoff and failed to win either. Those games were against Prestwich Heys and Litherland REMYCA, and West were somewhat fortunate to salvage late draws on each occasion.
The most notable name in Colne's ranks from a West perspective is midfielder Charlie Whiteoak, who endeared himself to fans with some gutsy performances during a difficult spell last season. Whiteoak has been a constant presence since joining the Reds at the end of September and scored his first goal in men's football against Pilkington last month.
At the game, Colne are arranging a Christmas appeal where supporters can donate toys to give to local underprivileged children at Christmas. It's being run by the Colne Open Door Centre and full details can be found HERE. Any donations from West fans will of course be very gratefully received.
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Colne At A Glance
Home colours: All red
Change colours: Yellow / grey / grey
Pitch surface: Grass
2023/24 position: 10th, NWCFL Premier
2023/24 average attendance: 279
Travelling distance: 42 miles
West away season round trip: 970 miles
The club was established in January 1996, six years after Colne Dynamoes folded after being refused promotion to the Football Conference. They joined Division Two of the North West Counties League, going on to finish bottom of the division in their first season. The club finished in the bottom half of the table every season until 2003/04 when they won the division and with it promotion to Division One; the season also winning the 2003/04 Division Two Cup and reaching the semi-finals of the FA Vase, eventually losing 4–3 on aggregate to AFC Sudbury.
Division One was renamed the Premier Division in 2008 and in 2015/16 Colne were Premier Division champions, earning promotion to Division One North of the Northern Premier League. They finished fifth in 2016–17, qualifying the promotion playoffs, however lost 4–0 to Farsley Celtic in the semi-finals. As a result of league reorganisation, the club was placed in Division One West for the 2018/19 season. They went on to finish fourth and again qualified for the play-offs, losing 2–1 to Leek Town in the semi-final. In 2022–23 the club finished second-bottom and were relegated back to the North West Counties League before finishing 10th in the Premier Division last season.
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Form Guide
Colne
Position: 23rd
Form position: 21st
Last six overall: LWDLLL
Home position: 23rd
Last six home: DLLLLW
West
Position: 8th
Form position: 7th
Last six overall: LWWLDW
Away position: 9th
Last six away: LWWDLW
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Head to Head
Overall
P9 W3 D1 L5 F12 A17
At the Haffners Pies Stadium
P5 W2 D0 L3 F7 A12
West have struggled on recent visits to Colne and it's now over 10 years since West picked up a point or even scored a goal at Holt House - though we have only been here three times in that period.
The last West goals came during a 3-2 win in the first round of the Lancashire Challenge Trophy in September 2014, with 5-0, 3-0 and 2-0 defeats on subsequent visits.
The most recent of those came last October when West, who were 4th at the time, were beaten 2-0 by a Colne side that played over half the game with 10 men. It was this loss that started West's descent through the table, managing just one win from the next 11 league games as the promising start to the season fizzled out.
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Browse through our wonderful match galleries, from club photographers:
Nathan Ashmall, Chris Michell, Jack Todd and Christina Bowett.
