RAMS CAN’T SHAKE DREADFUL RUN
Oumar Camara goes close before the blustery conditions got the better of the Rams.
As the pleasant afternoon weather began to turn, the cold, windy, rainy evening proved to be the main winner in this game, for two different reasons.
Any hopes of a passing game flew out of the window with the speed of the gusts swirling round the stadium: the same gusts that would influence the eventual outcome of this closely contested game.
Whilst skill was in short supply, endeavour was in abundance as both sides did their best to overcome the conditions in yet another game that could have gone either way.
However, in keeping with the Rams dismal run of just one point from the last twenty-one, they fell to their fifth 1-2 defeat during that run.
Chadderton had the first attempt at goal as early as the seventh minute when Connor J Hughes saw his lobbed effort crash off the crossbar, but whilst goalmouth action was limited, the visitors twice came close to an equaliser with Kuda Chingwaro and Matty Birchall inches away from the target.
At the other end, a mazy run from Tyler Berry ended with a cross-shot that sailed just wide of Chris Thompson’s left-hand post.
The deadlock was broken in the fortieth minute, when some clever shuffling down the right hand side saw a low ball played into the box, and the unmarked Hughes was on hand to net from close range at the far post.
As the wintry weather continued during the second half, the Rams finally clinched an equaliser on sixty-six minutes.
Chingwaro was bundled over ten yards outside the penalty area, but he dusted himself down and fired home an inch-perfect free-kick inside the keeper’s unmarked post.
Alas, that weather-influencer came to the home side’s rescue just four minutes later.
A foul, fifty yards from goal by the right hand touchline, saw the ball floated in by Hughes, but with attackers and defenders looking to deal with a fairly standard cross, the wind decided to give Chadderton a helping hand and altered the trajectory to everyone’s amazement and sent it spinning into the top corner, much to the amusement of all connected with the men in red.
The Rams continued to look to turn the match around again, with Chingwaro particularly looking dangerous as he planted cross after cross into the box, but none of his team-mates was able to make a telling touch, and despite their best efforts, the Rams fell to another frustrating defeat.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Thompson, Radcliffe, Hayhurst, Walker, Lent, Butterworth, Birchall (Whyte 68mins), Whittingham, Camara, Sephton, Chingwaro. Subs not used: Lucas, D.McMahon, Lawless, Ogunby
Att: 168
