Double kings first to be crowned

Ramsbottom United became the second club this season to double up in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Club of the Month Awards when they were named alongside Chasetown and Blyth Spartans as January’s winners.

After collecting October’s First Division North Award, the Rams will be the first of January’s performance winners to be honoured on Tuesday when Evo-Stik NPL FA Respect Manager Phil Bradley will be at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium to present them with the award before kick off against Ossett Albion.

Like all winners of the monthly performance accolades which were announced on Wednesday, the Rams will collect an inscribed certificate and 4.5 litre bottle of Bells Whiskey from sponsors Evo-Stik.

Joint managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley side’s four wins from four in the league, including an 8-0 victory over Radcliffe Borough, earned them the accolade for the second time.

Chorley are the only other club to do the double and they missed out on making it a hat-trick to Tom Wade’s Spartans who beat the title challengers 3-1 in the Premier Division at Croft Park in the final fixture of the month.

Before that they’d been undefeated with 12 goals from three outings and will honoured by the by the Evo-Stik NPL’s Operations Manager Alan Allcock at Croft Park on Saturday before they take on Witton Albion.

The Scholars will be the last of the trio to be honoured when they collect their First Division South accolade from League Director Andrew Wain before Craig Harris' side play Leek Town on Tuesday week (Feb 11).

His team were undefeated with their five victories from six outings last month including a 3-1 Doodson Sport Cup Third Round triumph over the Premier Division’s Barwell.