With the commencement of the new league season this Saturday, we look back on what had happened on previous Saturday’s in our non-league semi-professional history. And, it will be centered on 2010, 2004 and 1999.
SATURDAY 14th AUGUST 2010
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 4 WINSFORD UNITED 1
FA CUP Extra Preliminary Round
(Tony Cunningham’s report from the very old RUFC website)
The Rams marched into the next round in confident mood after an impressive victory over fellow league side Winsford United, winning the game 4-1 courtesy of a Jon Robinson hat-trick.
Yet for the first thirty minutes, there was very little to separate the two teams.
The game turned on a five minute spell when Jon Robinson netted twice to wrestle the tie away from the visitors, who wilted from thereon in, and the home side eventually went through with very little trouble.
The early exchanges were fairly even. Mick Morrison went close twice in the opening minutes, before Smith and Welstead both had chances to give the visitors the lead. Robinson and Ian Flannery responded at the other end, but a misplaced pass across the penalty area let in visitors winger Purdue who sped towards goal only to be dispossessed by a strong tackle.
The action continued to sway from end to end, with a Robinson header turned away for a corner, whilst Martin Campbell in the home goal made a great stop from Wellstead.
An entertaining game finally saw a goal after 31 minutes. A booking and a free-kick just inside the Winsford half saw the ball floated to the far post where Morrison nodded back for Robinson to head home from close range.
That goal unsettled the visitors, and five minutes later it was two. Excellent work from Dominic Smalley saw him feed the overlapping Danny Warrender whose cross from the by-line met Robinson, and the free-scoring forward planted another header into the back of the net.
The same player could have had a hat-trick before the break, but he managed it on 58 minutes, after Mark Sharples, who was having a fine game down the left side, was unceremoniously brought down in the box. Riobinson fired home from the penalty spot to make it 3-0.
Three minutes later it was four. An inch perfect through ball from Joel Pilkington found Morrison and he made no mistake from 15 yards.
Substitute Eddie O’Neill had the ball in the net ten minutes later, but the linesman had seen an offside, and it was wiped off.
Morrison was denied a second when his powerful downward header from Smalley’s cross was expertly palmed over the bar by Tyrer as the visiting keeper did his best to keep the score down.
The visitors did eventually gain some reward, but unsurprisingly, it came as a result of yet another Rams attack. The ball was hastily cleared and it sailed over the top of the attacking defence. Murphy raced on to it, rounded the on-rushing Campbell and calmly slotted home a goal that had rarely looked likely after those first 30 minutes.
By then, however, the game had been easily won and the Rams meet Cheadle Town away in the next round on 28th August.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Campbell, Warrender, Dean (Shuttleworth 63mins), Pilkington, Dawson, Flannery, Smalley, Morley (O’Neill 70mins), Robinson (Sensale 63mins), Morrison, Sharples. Subs not used: Blackley, Saunders
SATURDAY 14th AUGUST 2004
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 3 NANTWICH TOWN 2
The Rams, under the new management pairing of Derek Egan and Andy Grimshaw, kicked off their North West Counties League Division 1 campaign with a 3-2 victory over Nantwich Town at The Riverside.
Goals from Bernard Morley, Euan Purcell and Michael Saunders brought the three points in front of a crowd of just 131.
It was a particularly good performance considering the Rams lost Lee Buggie after just six minutes and goalscorer Purcell after only 29 but they were already 2-0 up by this point before Saunders grabbed the winner.
A terrific start for the new management ahead of the visit of Atherton LR on Tuesday night.
SATURDAY 14th AUGUST 1999
ST HELENS TOWN 3 RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 1
(Report from Lancashire Telegraph archives)
Ramsbottom got away to a dream start with a goal after just two minutes . . . but the early euphoria was to take a downward spiral by the end.
The great start came after slick passing saw David Yorke-Robinson, brought down in the area and Steve Strange stuck home the penalty.
The Saints worked hard to get back into the game without causing any serious problems for the Rams’ defence, but on 10 minutes it was 1-1. Gary Bickerstaffe sprung United’s offside trap to shoot past keeper Mark Bedford.
The visitors still looked the better side with Steve Brennan a constant threat down the right side.
On 20 minutes, Rams’ Chris Barlow shot over from a good position, then Brendan O’Shaunghnessy also fired over and Saints keeper Hollywood produced an excellent save to deny Brennan.
Ramsbottom really should have been a goal or up.
Ramsbottom started the second half still looking capable of taking all three points – Steve Strange and Andy Clarke both had good chances.
Dave Roach’s poor clearance on the hour was picked up on the left by Bryan Griffiths, who crossed for Steve O’Neil to head past Bedford.
Bedford then made a terrific stop from Gary Laird only for Gary Dooner to pounce on the rebound.
Brennan’s departure with a rib injury after the third goal, put the game out of reach for Ramsbottom, who had performed well for 60 minutes but faded badly.
