RAMS EXIT MACRON CUP
Harvey Hayhurst is denied in the dying moments before Stafford Town seal the win in added time.
The fact that the game actually took place needed some assistance from the league, as the club’s generator which runs the floodlights and showers, amongst other things, refused to start. Despite a specialist being brought in, at 2 o’clock it was apparent that no solution could be found.
With the prospect of the game being called off, both teams, along with the match officials contacted the NWCFL, with the outcome being that the kick-off be brought forward 30 minutes to 2.30 to ensure that the game would be completed in daylight.
However, the relief that the match did indeed take place turned to frustration, as the visitors won the game in the very last minute of time added on.
The game itself was a well-contested affair. The visitors are riding high in the First division South, and showed why they are amongst the favourites for promotion, with a battling performance in a match that went end-to-end.
Within the first minute, there were chances at both ends, and that set the benchmark for a game where the divisional difference barely showed.
Stafford’s Eshan Greer thought he had headed them into a twelfth minute lead only to be denied by the offside flag, whilst at the other end, Richie Baker’s well drilled low effort was kept out by the diving Adam Jenkins in the Town goal.
Greer was looking menacing throughout, and he was inches away with a decent effort, whilst Baker was proving a thorn in Stafford’s side as he was also inches away from converting an Oscar Radcliffe cross before seeing his excellent free-kick tipped over the bar by Jenkins.
The half-time interval arrived with both teams still to break the duck, but it took just three minutes after the break for the Rams to take the lead.
A corner was met by the leaping Andy Teague and with the men in blue claiming that it had crossed the line, the disappointment of the assistant’s shake of the head was soon forgotten as the ball ricocheted to who else but Baker who slammed home his third goal in three games, from the edge of the box.
Chances continued to be created at both ends.
Tom Hoyle’s run in from the left-hand side saw his shot smothered by the keeper, whilst Oumar Camara saw his effort sail wide of the far post.
At the other end, Matthew Hearsey tested Andre Mendes in the Rams goal, whilst the custodian did well to tip over a dangerous free-kick from Josh Wilson.
As the minutes ticked down, the Rams looked confident of progressing to the semi-final but a couple of twists would come back to haunt them.
On 83 minutes, the referee decided that Stafford substitute Jayden Hunter had been felled in the box, and the same player stood up to despatch an equalising penalty.
The home side pressed forward as the remaining minutes ticked down, with a series of attacks and corners, hoping to avoid the lottery of a penalty shoot-out. Desperate defending from the visitors kept the Rams out, and one final clearance from the Town defence fuelled a run down the left-wing. The ball was played inside for Scott Wilding to lash home an acute drive that veered in via the far post, with the referee looking to blow his whistle.
Pandemonium from the men in red, and utter dejection from those in blue.
A tough way to exit a competition that Ramsbottom looked highly likely to win, but such disappointments are part and parcel of football, and it means that all eyes are now focussed on the race for promotion back to the NPL.
Manager Steve Wilkes was equally frustrated. “Disappointed with the performance overall,” he bemoaned. “Our achilles heel of not putting the ball in the back of the net has come back to haunt us again.”
He added, “We should have been out of sight before Stafford equalised, but fair play to them, I hope they go and win the competition”.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Mendes, Radcliffe, Hayhurst, Teague, Barlow, Winstanley, Lynch(L.Sephton 74”), Baker, Camara, Whyte, Hoyle. Subs not used: Tinker, Ogunby, Meadowcroft, McWilliams
Att: 154
