BURSCOUGH WIN SENDS RAMS SECOND

Goalscorers Luke Sephton and Matt Dudley celebrate the second goal against Burscough.

Those turning out to support their teams will be glad that they did as an enthralling contest took place. in the opening minutes it looked as though Ramsbottom United’s hangover from Saturday’s thriller was still in evidence with some shaky moments.

Burscough, playing in red, started confidently, moving the ball about and testing the Rams defence. Gradually however, the Rams started to control possession. The excellent Walder confidently dealt with a series of dangerous situations and enabled smooth transition into attack as the senior players began to take charge.

Richie Baker, Luke Sephton and Harvey Whyte, playing in a more withdrawn role, started to click as the first half became an intriguing affair. The homes side started to put their slick passing moves together. Strong running from Jacob Holland -Wilkinson and Finn Wallbank saw the Rams smoothy moving the ball from back to the front without quite finding a cutting edge.

In response Burscough fashioned a break with a fine long-range effort crashing against Rose’s crossbar before being cleared to safety.

The break came with the match balanced at nil nil.

As the second half got underway the home side ramped up the pressure with chances becoming increasingly frequent.

Rams were purring; Playing their pleasing passing game on a pitch holding up well with some lovely intricate movement played with geometric precision. It looked like a matter of time before they broke through but were to be helped by a pivotal moment.

A second bookable offence on the hour mark and suddenly the hard-working visitors had gaps to fill and, in pushing Luke Sephton forwards, it didn’t take long for the Rams to exploit the gaps. A clever interchange down the right found Oscar Radcliffe, who fired in a low cross which found Sephton in support. He found a position almost on the goal line and smartly tucked the ball away to his and the supporters’ delight – and gave the Rams a deserved lead.

From that moment on the Rams were able to go through the gears and created a series of chances as they kept moves live and repeatedly won the ball back in useful positions. Burscough, however, are much improved since last season and did respond and broke away to flash in a fierce shot which Rose did remarkably well to touch on to the post when it appeared the equaliser was imminent.

Rams kept up the pressure going with eye catching interchanges between Baker, Whyte and Sephton. Andy Teague came on but as the home side were solid at the back went so he enjoyed rampaging around up front.

Further chances were created by the Rams and one of them saw Sephton drive into the box and hammer in a shot for what looked like a certain goal until the acrobatic Eze made an astonishing fingertip save to force the ball onto the inside of the post – before it was cleared by his defence.

Eze was called into action twice more as Burscough began to wilt. In the closing minutes. The Rams drove down the left leading to a dangerous cross, fired in low by Luke Sephton. It found Matt Dudley free in the box, and he could hardly believe his luck as he tapped it into an almost unguarded net for the goal which sealed the game.

The home side were good value for their victory the most pleasing aspect perhaps is that the team improved throughout the game as the hard work on the training pitch kicked in. They found their rhythm and the trademark and delightful total football followed. It also gained a much- cherished clean sheet, the sign of any team with serious intent.

Rams have used the four-game home block of fixtures to t good effect reaping ten points from it and have a welcome opportunity to play in the FA Vase at home against Glasshoughton on Saturday.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Rose, Radcliffe, Hayhurst, Wallbank, Barlow, Walder, Baker, Holland-Wilkinson (Whittingham), Sephton (Teague), Dudley, Whyte Not used: Stacey, Winstanley, Ogunby

GOALS: Sephton (72), Dudley (89)

ATT: 189