Key details

? Abbey Hey v West
? NWCFL First Division South
? Saturday 17th August 2019, 3pm
? Abbey Stadium, Goredale Avenue, Gorton, M18 7HD
? £5 adults / £2 concessions / free for under-16s
? Ryder Brow (0.4 miles) / Reddish North (1.0 mile)

Unbeaten West will hope for another productive trip to a happy hunting ground this weekend.

West haven’t tasted defeat at the Abbey Stadium since December 2013, winning four of the five subsequent visits, and last season’s jaunt to east Manchester, a 6-0 Boxing Day rout, was a rare highlight in a torrid campaign.

Brad Cooke will want to ensure West’s stay in the First Division South promotion places is a long-term arrangement after his side moved fourth with Tuesday’s win at home to Stockport Town.

Like West, Abbey have rebuilt following relegation from the NWCFL top flight four months ago. Under new manager Terry Hincks, they have gradually adjusted to life at level 10 for the first time since 2012-13 (coincidentally, they were promoted along with West that season).

They lost at home to early pacesetters Vauxhall Motors on the opening day before shipping a last-minute equaliser at Maine Road two days later. Though they were bundled out of the FA Cup by Liversedge last weekend, they tore up the admittedly thin form book to hammer Wythenshawe Amateurs 5-2 on Tuesday night, ruining the Ammies’ 100% start.

How we stand

Connections

Zac Cooper featured for Abbey from 2016 to 2017, while Sam Parr, who moved to the Abbey Stadium from Wythenshawe Town at the back end of last season, made seven appearances for West in the 2017-18 campaign.

Last time we met

Monday 22nd April 2019, West 4-2 Abbey Hey: West’s ultimately doomed relegation battle was taken to the last day of the season thanks to this nerve-shredding win over Abbey. The visitors led at the break, but Ramirez Howarth’s double, including a sensational 50-yard effort, along with goals from Stephen Hall and Tom Horner ensured West’s flickering survival bid lasted another week.

The West team that day: Jones, Tinker, Miranda, Eckersley, Horner, Eiselt, Coombes (Uchegbulam 84), Cooper (Peach ht), Howarth, Hall, McLaughlin (Meylan 90). Not used: Burgess, Henry.

Other fixtures

Saturday 17th August
Alsager Town v Wythenshawe Amateurs
Barnton v Cheadle Heath Nomads
Cammell Laird v Maine Road
Cheadle Town v Oswestry Town
Ellesmere Rangers v Vauxhall Motors
New Mills v Stone Old Alleynians
St Martins v Sandbach United
Stockport Town v Abbey Hulton United
Wythenshawe Town v Eccleshall