On Saturday we travel to Droylsden’s Butchers Arms Ground as we aim to continue our superb away form and maintain our 6 point lead at the top of the table. The Bloods sit in 13th position in the table, needing to build on their decent home form to close the gap on teams above them if they are to attain a top half finish.
Droylsden are another club in the Evo-Stik West to have sampled the Conference National, the highest tier of non-league football, a mere 10 years ago when Colls were earning their corn in the North-West Counties. In that period they also had FA Cup ties against league clubs Darlington, Chesterfield and Leyton Orient. A sign of the quality of clubs competing in the division.
Having already lost to Droylsden in the Integro Cup this season, Colls will be aware of the danger they pose, however that was put right when Jordan Cover and Tom Bentham goals clinched three points in the league at the Skuna in November. Since then, Clive Smith has switched between the clubs, fitting in to a Colls defence which has conceded just a solitary goal this year. Former Colls man Lewis Doyle has returned to parent club Southport and Luke Daly has made the long distance transfer up to South Shield in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
Last time out, Droylsden lost 2-0 at home to Radcliffe, Kingsley Williams was shown a first half red card after dragging down Elliot Rokka leaving The Bloods with a mountain to climb. Scott Metcalfe and Ben Wharton goals sealed the game for the Boro.
Danger men for the Bloods are well travelled frontman Sefton Gonzales and Liam Caddick, a pacey wide-man with an eye for goal. He joined the club from Burscough after previously playing for Bangor City in Welsh League and scored a first half hat-trick as Droylsden routed Runcorn Linnets 4-0 before Christmas.
Mixed news for the Colls, with Glenn Matthews out long term and Ben Conway departing for New Zealand but confirmation Greg Hartley will be available for the rest of the season.
The Butchers Arms ground
Market Street
Droylsden
M43 7AW
How The League Was Won Pt 2
April 30, 2019
A freezing Harry Williams Stadium on New Year’s Day 2019 saw Colls make a real statement of intent, facing a Ramsbottom side in the middle
