Tomorrow we welcome Droylsden back to the Skuna for their second visit of the season, the first being in September for an Integro Cup clash, Jordan Cover scoring early on for Colls before a Luke Daly equaliser and former Colls loanee Lewis Doyle clinching the tie for the visitors late on.
Droylsden are another club 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 Evo-Stik West,
Last season, The Bloods met Colls at the start of THAT run where we were unrecognisable from the team we’ve become accustomed to, a 5-0 victory may have flattered Droylsden as Colls had a decent amount of the game, but clinical finishing from the visitors left the Alder Street faithful slightly stunned.
When Colls visited Butcher's Arms in late March they were reinvigorated, on a fine run of form that extended to the end of the season. An early tactical reshuffle allowed Liam O'Neill to steal in and put us into the lead with a cool finish. The lead didn't quite last until half-time as big Jacques Kpohomouh nodded an equaliser. Both teams had chances to clinch all three points, Greg Hartley in imperious form before a late mass brawl left a slightly sour taste in the mouth.
We find a Droylsden team in the kind of form that must frustrate the manager and supporters alike, an FA Cup exit away at Squires Gate and a midweek loss to Chadderton on penalties in the Manchester Premier Cup being contrasted by putting six past our opponents next week, Widnes.
Following the Chadderton game, manager Dave Pace moved quickly to boost the squad, adding left-sided defender Stephen Rigby, formerly of Clitheroe and French centre-half Moussa Samassa, formerly of Welsh side Cefn Druids.
Danger men for the reds are last year's main protagonist Luke Daly, well travelled frontman Sefton Gonzales and Lewis Doyle who continues his loan spell from Southport, having played for Colls in that 1-1 draw last season.
For Colls, after the hard earned win away at Leek Town last week, it is hard to see manager Micheal Clegg making wholesale changes.
Date: 17th November 2018
Time: 15:00
Postcode – M46 9EY
Admission – £7 adults, £4 Concession, £2 U12
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
