Here is our latest edition of Rammy On This Saturday as we look back at the events on the pitch on the respective Saturday’s in our non-league history.
SATURDAY 20th FEBRUARY 2016
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED v ASHTON UNITED – MATCH POSTPONED
It was due to be the big return to the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium after two months away due to the horrendous Boxing Day floods that left the ground under three feet of water.
But it wasn’t to be as this match with Ashton United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, albeit not quite a waterlogged as it was just after Christmas!
Our return to home action would have to wait for another three days and the visit of Skelmersdale United.
The Rams were in need of some home comforts after six defeats and a draw on the road since recording back to back wins at Stourbridge and Grantham Town at the turn of the year.
Some good home form in the 11 games on familiar territory to the end of the season could just be the turn around the Rams needed ….. you would have thought!
SATURDAY 20th FEBRUARY 2010
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 2 SQUIRES GATE 2
(Tony Cunningham’s match report from the game)
The Rams inconsistent form since the enforced mid-winter break continued when they let slip a two goal lead, and were hanging on for a point against a dogged Squires Gate outfit.
At half-time everything was looking rosy for the Riverside team. Two goals to the good and seemingly in control of their own destiny. However a resurgent Gate stormed back in the last 20 minutes to clinch a point that had looked a distant dream with an hour gone.
The early exchanges were fairly even. Ryan and Richards had efforts for the visitors, whilst Jon Robinson twice tested the visiting keeper.
Andy Sensale fired weakly at the custodian having been fed through, whilst at the other end Richards hit the side netting.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 28th minute. Both Robinson and Sensale raced through. Robinson flicked the ball on, and Sensale’s effort was stopped by Speight in the visiting goal only for the ball to fall kindly to the on-rushing Joel Pilkington who lashed it into the roof of the net.
Mayers should have done better for the visitors when the ball fell to his feet in the area, but he fired well wide.
Two minutes later, after 39 minutes, the Rams increased their lead. A Barry Shuttleworth free-kick from just inside the Squires Gate half was majestically headed home by Ollie McGee, making his home debut.
However, the home side should have heeded the warning that was to follow. Twice in the last two minutes of the half the lead could have been reduced. Narjan headed wide from six yards, before John Blackley cleared off the line with the last action of the half.
Three minutes into the second period found Robinson with a fine through ball rounding the keeper, but he inexplicably stumbled and fired wide when 3-0 looked to be on the cards.
That was an expensive miss.
Chances continued at both ends. Dominic Smalley was unlucky when he broke in from the left but the keeper was equal to the effort, whilst at the other end Bennett brought the ball down well before turning and firing agonisingly inches wide.
McGee sent Sensale through, but as he swept past his defender he couldn’t find a way past the visiting keeper. Robinson tried a chip from 25 yards out that flew past the far post, then Sensale was again thwarted by Speight.
These misses appeared to spur on the visitors as they gradually wrestled control from the Rams. After sustained pressure they were rewarded when Bennett beat Barry Shuttleworth to a through ball and headed over the advancing Tommy Allen on 70 minutes.
However, the Rams should have regained the two goal lead almost immediately. Robinson suffering an unlikely goal drought must be wondering how many black cats he has run over. From close range and on his own he somehow failed to poke the ball home as Speight again saved his team-mates.
That was to prove another turning point, for on 75 minutes the visitors equalised. An incisive through ball split the home defence, and Mayers gleefully hammered a low drive past Allen.
From then on there only seemed to be one winner as Squires Gate kept up the pressure. McKenna, Richards and Thomas all attempted to fire home the winner, and in injury time the Rams goal had a miracle escape when no visiting forward could finish off a bouncing ball inches from the goal-line.
As the final whistle blew it was a relieved home side that trooped off having squandered a good position to eventually hang on for a hard earned point.
An entertaining game for the neutral, but so very disappointing for the home supporters.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Tommy Allen, George Bowyer, Barry Shuttleworth, Bernard Morley, Oliver McGee, John Blackley, Dominic Smalley (Phil Dean 71mins), Joel Pilkington, Andy Sensale (Scott Craggs 81mins), Jon Robinson, Mark Sharples (Lee Connell 65mins). Subs not used Ince, O’Neill
SATURDAY 20th FEBRUARY 1999
CHEADLE TOWN 1 RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 2
After two successive 3-1 reverses to Skelmersdale United, the Rams bounced back in some style as they defeated Cheadle Town for the third time in the season 2-1 to shake off their recent indifferent form.
Travelling without defenders Carl Trimble and recent signing Marc Maddocks, who were both struggling to shake off knocks, Mark O’Brien and Russell Brierley ensured the Rams took all three points from their trip to the south side of Manchester and break a run of just one win from their last seven.
The result kept the Rams firmly in mid table while Cheadle, who the Rams had beaten earlier in the FA Vase and in the league, had their recent good form halted.
With 15 games still left to play in the season, there was hope of a decent run in to the end of the season.
