We once again dip into the Ramsbottom United archives to see what happened on this respective Saturday in our non-league semi-professional history. And, it will be centered on 2010, 2004 and 1999.
SATURDAY 16th OCTOBER 2010
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 2 SILSDEN AFC 3
(Tony Cunningham’s report from the very old RUFC website)
Despite their excellent away record, Ramsbottom United suffered their fifth defeat of the season at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, although in somewhat controversial fashion.
Having climbed to second in the league, within touching distance of leaders New Mills, hopes were high that the Rams could clinch an eighth successive League victory against the mid-table visitors from west Yorkshire.
However, Silsden had other ideas and made their intentions known from the kick-off that they were prepared to have a go at the high-flyers. After a couple of early efforts for the home side from Anthony Johnson and Mark Drew, Ian Flannery was beaten to the ball on the left, and the cross found Hanson whose strike rebounded off the post and the follow up was blasted over the bar.
Moments later, Flannery was on hand to divert a dangerous cross over for a corner, as the visitors began to exert pressure on the home defence.
On 18 minutes, it paid off. Not for the first time in recent games, the Rams defensive line was caught playing too far up, and a through ball saw McNally race on goal as the defenders appealed in vain for offside. Grant Shenton, in the home goal, was forced to bring his opponent down, and a penalty was duly awarded. Luckily for Shenton, just a yellow card was shown, but that was merely a fore-taste (more to follow!). Hunter stroked home the penalty to give the visitors the lead.
Within a minute the Rams had almost equalised. Flannery’s close range header was tipped over, and from the resultant corner, the ball was first cleared off the line, then headed onto a post by a Silsden defender before eventually being cleared.
Eddie O’Neill fired over when the ball fell kindly for him in the box, but Silsden were matching the home side, as Thompson fired in a low drive which Shenton gathered. However, on 30 minutes, the Rams defence was again caught out by a high ball, leaving McNally with the easy task of firing home past a stranded Shenton to double Silsden’s lead.
The home side should have reduced the arrears as the half-time break approached. Lee Gaskell volleyed a Dominic Smalley cross wide, then Johnson saw his shot blocked and O’Neill’s follow-up rattled the post.
The Rams tried desperately to get back in the game as the second half began. Flannery was inches away with a header, Johnson put another effort wide and James Rothel had a goal-bound shot blocked.
At the other end, Silsden came close to extending the lead when Hunter’s deceptive cross came back off the crossbar.
Gaskell’s header was too weak to trouble former Ram Chris Thompson, who was having a fine game in the Silsden goal, but he was eventually beaten in the 67th minute when substitute Mick Morrison was on hand to volley home from close range.
Chances continued at both ends. A great run from Mark Drew was halted when Thompson dived at his feet, whilst Shenton had to be alert to divert a deflected effort from McNally round the post.
Gaskell tried his luck from an acute angle, but missed the far post before the Rams found an equaliser with just six minutes left.
Phil Dean’s incisive run down the left allowed him time to find space for a cross which was met by the head of Gaskell. Although Thompson took the sting out of the header, he couldn’t prevent it from trickling over the line, and at this point it looked like there would only be one winner.
That proved to be incorrect as the game entered stoppage time. A Silsden attack saw Shenton dive on the ball only to receive a kick in the thigh from the on-rushing forward. Out of frustration, he kicked out as the whistle blew. Not for the first time this season, the officials missed the first incident but spotted the second. The referee gathered the ball and marched to the penalty spot. He then showed Shenton a yellow card for his protests, before being reminded by a Silsden player that he had already booked the keeper. The referee then compounded his initial error, and produced the red card. Dawson took over in goal but could do nothing to prevent Hunter scoring his second spot-kick of the day, and grabbing a dramatic three points for the jubilant visitors.
Poor defending cost the Rams in the first half, but a spirited fight-back appeared to have done the trick before the late intervention of the man in black.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Shenton, Pilkington, Rothel(Sensale 83mins), Sharples, Dawson, Flannery, Smalley,Drew, Gaskell, Johnson(Morrison 59mins), O’Neill(Dean 59mins) Subs not used: Shuttleworth, Saunders
SATURDAY 16th OCTOBER 2004
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 1 ALSAGER TOWN 3
(Chris Boothman’s report from the Lancashire Telegraph archives)
A dismal first half display consigned Ramsbottom United to their first home defeat of the season in the league against Alsager Town, who beat them for the second time this season.
The Rams were unable to cope with the direct approach taken by the Staffordshire outfit in the opening half, and former league player Paul Macari showed the home forwards how to clinically finish from inside the penalty area.
An incisive pass on 14 minutes found the lively Macari on the edge of the box and his low shot appeared to deflect off a Ramsbottom defender and nestled in the back of the net with Mark Andrews motionless.
On 38 minutes the second goal duly arrived when a dangerous corner caused mayhem inside the box and Macari was on hand to fire home from two yards.
Matt Edgington and Adam Cook were introduced to change the pattern of the game but it wasn’t ong before penlaty, given for handball, was converted by Alsager skipper Wayne Brotherton.
Michael Saunders was lively enough to pounce on a mistake to slot into the empty net from an acute angle or alate consolation.
SATURDAY 16th OCTOBER 1999
NO GAME
The Rams played against Salford City on the Friday night (15 Octoober 1999) and won 3-1 with goals from Steve Brennan, Russell Brierley and David Yorke-Robinson.
It brought back to back league wins after defeating Maine Road on the Tuesday night 2-1 with Yorke-Robinson and Brierley on the scoresheet once more.
