Colne v West Didsbury & Chorlton

• Saturday 21st October 2023 
• 3:00pm kickoff
• NWCFL Premier Division, Matchday 19
• NORI Stadium, Holt House, Harrison Drive, Colne, BB8 9SL
• Cash or card : Adults £7 / Concessions £5 / Under 16s £1 / Under 12s Free
• Food and drink available
• Dogs allowed
• Live text updates via West on Twitter 

Preview

West are back on the road after waiting 28 days to travel for a league game, visiting Colne for the first time since May 2016.

The Reds are struggling for momentum at the NORI Stadium so far this season - picking up just two wins from nine - and scoring at less than half the rate they do away from BB8. A cup win over lower-division Nelson is the only W in the last half-dozen.

Only Burscough and the bottom two have won fewer games on home turf, yet only league leaders Wythenshawe can claim more away wins than Colne's impressive five.

Lucas Weaver has been the Reds' main man so far in 2023/24, scoring 15 of his team's 35 goals.

West extended their unbeaten run to eight with Saturday's win over FC Isle of Man, picking up four wins and draws since the 3-2 reverse to AFC Liverpool five weeks ago. The focus will be on extending that sequence further, ideally by boosting an away record that contains only one Saturday win this season.

Joint top scorer Lewis Billingsley has found the net in each of his last six away league games.

History

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.

Form Guide

Colne
Position: 13th
Form position: 6th
Last six overall: LLWWDW
Last six home:  LLDWLL

West
Position: 4th
Form position: 10th
Last six overall: WLDDWD
Last six away: LDWDLW

Head to Head

Overall:
P8 W3 D1 L4 F12 A15

At The NORI Stadium:
P4 W2 D0 L2 F7 A8

Last Meeting

Saturday July 29th 2023
NWCFL Premier Division
West 3 Colne 0
West scorers: Darren McKnight 49, 60(p), Ben Elliott 52
Attendance: 687

Quick Info

Travelling distance: 42 miles
West away 2023/24 total distance: 231 miles
Pitch: Grass
Last season's position: 19th, NPL Divison One West
Last season's average attendance: 271
Home colours: All red
Change colours: Yellow / grey / grey

Facilities

On match days the club operates two bars; the clubhouse and another outside next to the Reds Cafe. Cash and card accepted throughout.

Directions

By public transport:
Colne is the nearest railway station, around 1 mile away. 
From Princess Street outside the station, take the 60/60A to Harrison Drive.

By car:
Follow M65 to end of motorway. Turn left and follow signs for Skipton and Keighley, continue to roundabout, take 1st left up Harrison Drive, across small roundabout, follow road to ground.

Weekend fixtures
Saturday 21st October 2023
The Isuzu FA Vase 1st Round
Carlisle City v Longridge Town
Charnock Richard v Burscough
Northallerton Town v Irlam
Pilkington v Ramsbottom United
Ryton & Crawcrook Albion v Cheadle Town
Squires Gate v South Liverpool
Premier Division
Bury v Wythenshawe Town
Chadderton v Wythenshawe
Colne v West Didsbury & Chorlton
Litherland REMYCA v Kendal Town
Padiham v Lower Breck
Prestwich Heys v AFC Liverpool
Skelmersdale United v Barnoldswick Town
FC Isle of Man v Glossop North End (6pm)

Pictures by Nathan Ashmall