LAST DITCH RAMS SNEAK WIN

Luke Barlow prods Corey Stacey’s lob into the box over the Heys keeper deep into stoppage time.

A borough derby on Saturday at Prestwich as the home side faced third placed Ramsbottom United in blustery and near icy conditions. Home supporters were in an apprehensive mood, recalling that the last time the teams met in December the Rams had been 5 nil up by half time.

Playing in red, Prestwich have struggled this season but there are signs of improvement in their recent form. They started brightly and after two minutes advanced down the left Takura Sambizi took the ball into the box and fired in a cross which looped up off Maine Walder and over Andre Mendez in the visitors’ goal to give them a shock early lead.

Clad in familiar blue, the Rams took time to recover as they seemed disjointed, lacked rhythm and were clearly shaken by the early setback. They had come into the game on four straight victories but in the early moments looked a shadow of their usual selves.

Poor passing saw the ball bouncing around at waist or even head height and Rams resorted to speculative long-range efforts which invariably cleared the home crossbar. Indeed, Rams were to be grateful to the alert Maine Walder, playing at centre half, for a couple of timely interceptions as Sambezi, impressive throughout, continued causing problems.

Rams resorted to a series of aimless punts with the ball being in the air for long periods and with endless throw-ins preventing any buildup of rhythm. At halftime there was no doubt that Prestwich were good value for their lead.

As the second half got under way, so the pattern, reminiscent of season low-lights away at Longridge and Colne resumed, with more balls in the air and aimless punts to the frustration of the muted Rams supporters and also the vociferous bench as their team worked hard – but invariably made the wrong choices as they huffed and puffed.

There was however to be a pivotal moment. It came with the introduction of Richie Baker on 65 minutes. It appeared as though a switch had been flipped as he took command of the midfield. Adopting a deep sweeper-style position Baker immediately set to work, picking off home attacks, passing the ball forward with metronomic well-weighted pitch-level deliveries allowing teammates to take the ball under control and in their stride to keep the momentum moving forwards. Suddenly the Rams started to click – and pose a real threat.

On 71 minutes came the move of the game as blue shirts advanced down the left. A series of low interchanges led them to cut open the Prestwich defence and the ball came to Oumar Camara in the box but, rather than shoot, he laid it back to Tom Hoyle. Hoyle took a moment to compose himself before driving the ball hard and low past Allan, in the Heys goal, with its power causing the net to bulge as he notched up his 23rd goal of a remarkable season.

Buoyed by the breakthrough, and with the travelling supporters responding, the Rams kept up the pressure in the closing minutes but Prestwich with Sambezi, with his languid running style, close control and formidable pace, remaining a constant menace.

As the game looked set for a draw the board went up for seven minutes of injury time, much of it for the unfortunate Rhys Turner who had only just come on.

That time appeared to have elapsed as the crowd waited for the whistle. In its 7th minute the Rams were awarded a free kick in their own half – with some doubt as to whether there was time for it to be taken. Who else but Richie Baker stepped up to drive it into the box before Corey Stacey latched onto the clearance to lift the ball into the path of Luke Barlow. Up for a last throw of the dice, he got his boot to the ball and was able to guide it over Allan and into the net for the most dramatic of finishes.

Barlow’s delight and that of the ultras gathered behind the goal, was all too tangible to see as the visiting supporters erupted into a joyous mass – spare a thought for Prestwich who had done so much to make this a tough encounter.

The Rams, somewhat fortuitously, came away with a hard-won victory which keeps them on target for a top three place on 93 points and the advantage of a home first leg in the playoffs on April 26.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Mendes, Radcliffe, Hayhurst, Lynch (Turner 75 (Stacey 76)), Barlow, Walder, Wilson (Baker 65), Sephton, Camara, Whyte (Tinker 90+8), Hoyle Not Used: Ogunby

Att: 340