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 13th MARCH 2010
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 0 BOOTLE 3
(Richard Isaacs’ report from the very old RUFC website)
Ramsbottom United lost further ground on their hopes of promotion when they were swept aside by a confident Bootle outfit, who avenged the 6-3 defeat on home soil by winning 3-0 at The Riverside.
But it was in no small measure down to the Bootle goalkeeper Mark Mawdsley, who pulled off a string of outstanding saves, including a penalty, which kept his side firmly in the mix for the top placings in the Vodkat League.
With a win in their last game, Rammy kept faith with the same starting XI but there was to be a first appearance off the bench for recent signing Bradley Cooke, who moved from Atherton LR last week.
There was a lot riding on this match with Bootle in sixth having a number of games in hand over the Rams in fourth and neither side were giving much away in the early stages, despite their being plenty of endeavour.
It wasn’t until the 18th minute that the first clear opportunity came – and there were to be plenty as the afternoon progressed. A fine break down the right by John Robinson found striker-partner Andy Sensale but he fired his chance over the bar.
The visitors brought an excellent save from Damien Rooney in the Rammy goal from a well-struck free-kick and then Robinson could have done better with his chance on the half-hour but he was also over with his shot.
Rammy were indebted to Jon Lea on 33 minutes when Daniel O’Connor rounded the keeper but the left-back put his body on the line to keep the sheet clean with a breath-taking stop on the goalline.
However, on 37 minutes, the visitors were in front when O’Connor made no mistake following a scramble in the goalmouth and he smashed the ball beyond Rooney’s reach.
But five minutes later, a good move from Sensale was halted when he was cut down in the penalty area and the usually prolific Robinson, without a goal since mid-November, stepped up to take the spot kick. He was to find Mawdsley in inspired form as he dived well to his left and the Rammy striker couldn’t land the rebound.
It was a desperately disappointing end to the half but not as disappointing as the off-field scuffle involving a former Rammy player and the Bootle Football Club chairman, who had to be separated after the Merseysider continued to hurl abuse at the Ramsbottom management on the sidelines.
It was unsightly to say the least.
With that behind them, a counter-attack three minutes saw the visitors extend their lead. From a Rammy corner, Bootle quickly passed the ball to the other end of the field and midfielder Chris Tyson struck the ball home from 30 yards for 2-0.
A double change from the Rams followed with Carl Lomax and Dominic Smalley introducted but this didn’t prevent Bootle from grabbing a third on 59 minutes. An easy throw-in and O’Connor lofted the ball beyond Rooney for his second of the afternoon.
If the penalty had been scored, it might well have been a different game and Robinson was again wide of the mark when a more confident ‘Robbo’ would have safely found the target.
Lomax was wide as Rammy kept battling and then, from a beautifully timed free-kick by Lee Connell on 75 minutes, Mawdsley somehow kept the ball out of his top corner, fingertipping the ball round the upright.
A mark of the day was that Rooney, in the Ramsbottom net, was forced into just one save all afternoon while his opposite number Mawdsley pulled off five top quality saves.
Co-manager Bernard Morley could fault his teams effort and even a 45-minute talking to afterwards was productive. “There wasn’t much wrong with the performance,” he said. “We had our chances and the lads are gutted as it wasn’t a 3-0 performance.
“To be honest, their three goals were embarrassing for us but we have not been outbattled in the match.
“The talk after the game was very good and we know where we need to be and have to get back to our best on Tuesday night when we play Colne at home.”
To make matters worse for the Rams, results elsewhere would have helped their cause. League leaders Newcastle Town fell to their first defeat of the season, surprisingly defeated 4-1 at Bacup Borough while Padiham stung second-placed New Mills 4-3.
It was a chance missed for the Rams.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Damien Rooney, Jonathan Lea (Carl Lomax 54mins), George Bowyer, Barry Shuttleworth, John Blackley, Joel Pilkington, Mark Sharples (Dominic Smalley 54mins), Bernard Morley, Lee Connell, Andrew Sensale (Brad Cooke 77mins), Jon Robinson. Subs not used: Phil Dean, Eddie O’Neill
SATURDAY 13th MARCH 2004
CURZON ASHTON 4 RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 0
(report from the Lancashire Telegraph)
RAMSBOTTOM made it nine goals conceded in two games when they were swept aside by Curzon on Saturday.
After a spirited second half against Woodley in their previous match, the Rams welcomed back Gareth Gardiner and Iain Dyson to make them almost at full strength, the only notable absentee being Chris Clark.
However, Curzon were unlucky not to take the lead after only 15 seconds when Paul Eatock was forced into a smart save from Alan Beckett before the inevitable first goal came on 32 minutes when Chris Ball fired home.
Minutes after falling behind the Rams created their best chance when Gardiner clipped a superb cross into the six-yard box and both Danny Heys and Matt Swailes failed to make contact.
Matthew Thorpe made it two after 65 minutes before Mohammed Baldeh and Nick Fisher completed the rout in the last five minutes.
SATURDAY 13th MARCH 1999
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 1 KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC 3
(report from the Lancashire Telegraph)
KEN Bridge’s men rocked second-placed Kidsgrove by taking an early lead, but the reigning champions fought back superbly to record a deserved victory which keeps their title hopes firmly on track.
Kidsgrove had made a strong start and Rams keeper Paul Horridge was soon in action blocking Craig Walklet’s shot from the edge of the box.
In the opening 10 minutes the Staffordshire visitors kept up the pressure but Ramsbottom defended confidently and gradually got themselves into the game.
On 16 minutes Kidsgrove were rocked back when the ball was knocked in from the right and former Bolton Wanderers youth team player Gareth Feeney scored from a tight angle.
A minute later Ramsbottom almost made it 2-0 when a good build up gave Danny Goodall a shooting chance but his fierce drive was a yard off target. Russell Brierley’s strong run ended with him firing over the top but again Kidsgrove started to boss the midfield and they looked extremely dangerous as they searcherd for an equaliser. A quick break from Ramsbottom forced a diving save from Athletic keeper Bentley, it proved to be a vital stop with the unmarked Steve Orrell waiting to pounce.
The next Kidsgrove attack brought the equaliser from Paul Kiely who cut in from the left before beating Horridge with a well struck shot. In the final minute of the half the lead changed hands when Wayne Mountford scored from the edge of the box after Horridge had done well to keep out a Kiely effort.
With just three minutes of the second half played Kidsgrove had their keeper to thank as he flung himself to his right to charge down Orrell’s drive after good work on the left by Feeney.
Kidsgrove conctinued to look the better side and scored a third goal on 63 minutes. A sweeping move created an opening for Walklet who gave Horridge no chance from ten yards.
In the closing minutes Ramsbottom came with a late flurry and enjoyed their best spell of the second half. Carl Trimble was desperately unlucky to see his 25-yard lob strike the crossbar with Bentley stranded off his line.
In the end, the defending champions deserved their three points, leaving Ramsbottom with just one win in their last seven games.
*** if you were wondering where the tales of woe from the 2015/16 season have gone … due to 2016 being a leap year, the Saturday’s no longer fall on the respective dates so we are spared!!!
