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 MARCH 2010
GLOSSOP NORTH END 3 RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 2
(Richard Isaacs’ report from the very old RUFC website)
Two goals from a revilatised Jon Robinson was not enough to prevent Ramsbottom United suffering a third successive defeat when two goals in the space of three minutes gave Glossop North End a 3-2 success.
For the neutral observer amongst the 210-strong crowd at Surrey Street, this was a cracking game of football between two good sides. But for the Rammy faithful, it was another disappointing afternoon, probably more disappointing than the other two defeats over the course of the week.
As, with 15 minutes left on the clock, the visitors held a 2-1 advantage but two goals in the space of three minutes, one via the knee of Rammy midfield Joel Pilkington, gave Glossop all three points and left the men in red scratching their heads.
It was a vastly improved performance, none more so than from Jon Robinson, who broke his four month goal-scoring drought to hit the target twice and only the goalframe prevented him claiming a hat-trick.
Managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley made three changes from the side beaten by Colne on Tuesday night. Barry Shuttleworth was injured so Brad Cooke came in for his first start for the club while Lee Connell moved back into defence. Carl Lomax replaced Andy Sensale and Eddie O’Neill removed Phil Dean while 16-year-old Dean Callaghan was given his first taste of first-team action with a seat on the bench.
On a wet and miserable afternoon weatherwise, Glossop should have made Rammy pay for being slow off the mark but Adam Oakes missed a sitter in front of goal within the first minute.
This provided the visitors with a kickstart and they began to dominate proceedings. A couple of corners in quick succession and then the opening goal when Robinson powerfully headed home Eddie O’Neill’s pinpoint cross.
Robinson, so desperately lacking in confidence in front of goal over the last few weeks, suddenly found that filter back into his body in spades and, three minutes later, his crisp shot was only denied by the upright.
A goal behind and on the back foot, Glossop sprung into action and only George Bowyer’s fine challenge prevented a certain equaliser and the home side were wide with another effort before the half-hour.
Despite all the pressure Rammy were exercising, it was the home side that seemed the more dangerous in attack and Rooney brilliantly tipped a shot over the bar and then, on the stroke of half-time, pulled off a point-blank save to keep his side with the interval advantage.
But whilst Rammy had dominated much of the first half, the second half saw the hosts have much of the edge.
O’Neill weaved his way through just a couple of minutes into the period but was high and wide and Robinson glanced narrowly off target soon after.
But on the hour, Glossop were back in the game when a mistake from Bowyer on the right allowed Adam Oakes to volley home the equaliser and this gave the Derbyshiremen a real fillip although Rick Bailey went a bit too far when he was booked on 68 minutes for a blatant dive in the penalty area, looking for a spot kick.
The balance of the game changed all in the space of five minutes.
On 76 minutes, a terrible throw out from the Glossop keeper Stuart Williams provided the ball on a plate to substitute Dominic Smalley, who had replaced John Blackley at half-time when he limped off with a hamstring problem. Smalley jinked his way through the defence, passed inside to Robinson and he gleefully accepted the gift for 2-1.
But a minute later, the scores were level again when Rooney failed to clear the ball sufficiently and the ball bounced in to his net off the knee of the unfortunate Joel Pilkington and then Garry Kharas, playing his first game for the club since returning from neighbours New Mills, slotted home confidently for the lead they didn’t relinquish.
With three defeats on the spin and his side slipping down to sixth in the table, co-manager Johnson cut a disappointed figure. “I can’t fault the attitude and the work ethic of the team as it was a massive improvement from Tuesday night.
“But Glossop were the better side on the day and they worked hard. It’s just hard to take that we have lost three in a row and we have completely lost that winning habit. It’s a big habit to be in and we need to find a way to get it back.”
He was full of praise, however, for Jon Robinson. “We all knew those two goals were coming and this will now give him great confidence,” he added, also feeling that Brad Cooke had a solid first start for the club.
But he warned, “we cannot feel sorry for ourselves and have to find that winning habit again.”
Photos from the game can be viewed here.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Damien Rooney, Andy Dawson, George Bowyer, John Blackley (Dominic Smalley 46mins), Eddie O’Neill, Bernard Morley, Joel Pilkington, Jon Robinson, Lee Connell, Brad Cooke (Mark Sharples 80mins), Carl Lomax (Andy Sensale 73mins). Subs not used: Phil Dean, Dean Callaghan
SATURDAY 20th MARCH 2004
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED v FLEETWOOD TOWN – match postponed
After turning in what manager Vince Overson described as one of their best performances of the season in beating Newcastle Town 2-1 on Tuesday evening, they would have been disappointed not to have been able to continue that form when the match with Fleetwood Town was postponed.
Overson was pleased that the players had bounced back from the 4-0 drubbing at Curzon Ashton the previous Saturday, especially as they had six players unavailable for the Newcastle game.
Chris Clarke, Liam Bowden, Gareth Gardiner and Micky Saunders were all available for Saturday’s match – but the game didn’t take place.
The match was rescheduled for Thursday 8th April and ended in a 10-goal epic, the future Football League club coming out 6-4 winners!
SATURDAY 20th MARCH 1999
NO SCHEDULED FIXTURE
There was no scheduled fixture for the 1st XI on this Saturday but the Reserves has a game with Castleton – a game where a victory would have all but secured the Reserve Division North title that we did win that season.
However, despite not having a game, the club were rocked when the prolific midfielder David Yorke-Robinson announced that he may quit football just weeks after battling back from a long-term injury.
The 19-year-old playmaker only made his comeback two weeks ago after missing three months of the season with a knee injury.
But the former Oldham Athletic apprentice, who played an instrumental part in the Rams FA Cup run earlier this season, has rocked manager Ken Bridge with the news he wants to pack the game in.
“David hasn’t been happy with his own form since he came back into the side. He feels like he isn’t the same player,” said secretary John Maher.
*** 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!!!
