RAMS EARN LATE POINT AT GLOSSOP

Conal Gallagher comes off the bench to slide home a late equaliser for Ramsbottom.

After a lacklustre second half performance Rammy were rescued late on by super sub Conal Gallagher to ensure they left Surrey Street with a share of the spoils.

The home side started the game fast and had a big chance to take the lead just four minutes in as Pennington rattled the crossbar from close range, a real let off for the Rams.

The Pennington chance subsequently acted as a wake up call for the visitors and they rapidly began to grow into the game, with Luke Sephton forcing the goalkeeper into a fantastic save just three minutes later. Rammy continued to push and create chances and on 12 minutes Chingwaro had a fantastic opportunity to put his side ahead but saw his effort rise over the crossbar from the edge on the penalty area.

However, it wasn’t long before the constant bombardment paid dividends and Ramsbottom forged themselves ahead. It was lovely build up play down the right hand side, the ball then found right back Harvey Hayhurst who put a teasing cross into the center of the penalty area where Kuda Chingwaro had found space and he nodded home from 10 yards to give his side a much deserved lead.

Although, much like the weekend, it wasn’t long until the game was all square once more. Less than 30 seconds later the hosts had played a long ball forward from kick off and a mix up between the defence and the goalkeeper for the away side allowed Harry Freedman to nip in between and slot home into an empty goal.

This didn’t seem to dishearten the Rams all to much as Chingwaro nearly had his second of the game on 29 minutes but a cracking save from the goalkeeper kept things level heading into the half time break.

As the second 45 minutes got underway Ramsbottom came flying out of the blocks and just a minute in striker Matt Dudley was brought down inside the 18 yard box to win his side a penalty. After seeing the Rams number nine dispatch two penalty’s last week away at Skelmersdale, everybody inside the ground expected him to step up and take it again.

Despite that it was in fact Harvey Whyte who stepped up on this occasion. Whyte struck it towards the bottom left hand corner but the goalkeeper was down extremely fast to make a wonderful save and then he was up on to his feet like a flash to deny Walder on the follow up.

The penalty save seemed to instil an air of confidence into the Glossop team and they began to play some good expansive football as they felt they could snatch a winner. Then on 80 minutes they managed to do exactly that. A scramble inside the six yard box created complete chaos and despite the best efforts of Harry Moss at the third time of asking Bevan Burey managed to bundle one over the line to put his side ahead.

With such little time left on the clock it looked as though the hosts were going to take all three points, and this looked even more likely after Tom Walker received a sin bin on 89 minutes.

Then just as it looked like all hope was lost the Rams hit on one last attack. With only a matter of seconds remaining as we entered the fourth minute of injury time, Ryan Lockett’s mazy run in from the right culminated in a blocked shot from his one-two with Kuda Chingwaro, but the ball broke loose into the path of the on running Conal Gallagher who managed to squeeze it past the goalkeeper at the near post to draw his side level.

Once again Rammy showed amazing spirit to salvage something right at the death, but we can’t let that over shadow the fact that the performance on a whole was below par. Steve Wilkes will certainly be hoping for a reaction from his side as they face Chadderton at home this weekend.

Ramsbottom United: Moss, Hayhurst (Ujahchuku), Walder, Walker, Radcliffe, Roscoe, Sephton (Lockett), Jackson (Gallagher), Dudley, Whyte, Chingwaro Subs not used: Whittingham, Redmayne

Att: 189