SUPER EWES PROGRESS IN COUNTY CUP

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED WOMEN 4
AFC OLDHAM WOMEN 2
Sunday 18th January 2026

The Ewes caused a massive County Cup upset with a deserved victory over higher division AFC Oldham.

With Oldham sitting in second place in the division above Rammy were the undoubted underdogs but they matched their opponents in the early stages, battling to be first to everything and letting the visitors know they were not in for an easy ride.

Oldham eventually broke the deadlock in the 28th minute though, scoring directly from a freekick. And three minutes later they added a second, breaking through the middle and scoring at the second attempt after Simpson blocked the first.

In the 38th minute The Ewes were awarded a free kick a few yards past the halfway line. Keeper Simpson stepped up and launched a fabulous looping kick which her opposite number could only parry into the path of Hodcroft who stabbed the ball home from close range. The comeback was on!

Six minutes later Rammy got a deserved equaliser when Albo-Elliott passed to Duffy who displayed fantastic footwork, rounding two players and then chipping the keeper from the edge of the box, delighting the vocal home support and her teammates alike.

HT 2-2

The Ewes kept the pressure on in the second half across the entire pitch, successfully limiting Oldham’s opportunities through tireless defending, while moving the ball well in midfield, and creating numerous chances from open play and set pieces.

Duffy almost got her second in the 68th minute when her shot/cross flashed across goal but another chance came only minutes later and she took full advantage. Woods played the perfect ball through the middle for Duffy to run onto. Her initial shot from the edge of the box was parried by the keeper but she gathered it up again, showed some more silky footwork to get away from the defenders and buried it in the net to give Rammy the lead.

Both teams continued to push for a goal but it was Rammy who succeeded and extended their lead when Duffy’s corner from the right was bundled in at the near post by Hodcroft for her second of the game.

The Ewes haven’t been the best at seeing games out this season but this time they did it in style, even coming close to scoring three more times with the keeper saving from Duffy, Woods hitting the bar, and Hodcroft shooting just wide. But they’d already done enough and when the whistle blew no-one could argue that the Ewes weren’t every bit deserving of this fantastic win.

The standard has now been set for the rest of the season!

FT 4-2

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Sofia Albo Elliott

RAMMY WOMEN: Simpson, Worsick ©, Roberts, Kilduff, Downey, Albo-Elliott, Sharples, Kirk, Booth, Hodcroft, Woods, Duffy, White, Kershaw

NEXT MATCH: Sunday 25th January 2pm AWAY v Ashton on Mersey – Divisional Cup at Ashton on Mersey Sports Club, Banky Lane, Sale M33 5SL