Rams stunned in IoM turnaround
Ramsbottom United return empty handed after squandering a two-nil lead at FC Isle of Man.
A baffling eleven minutes turned the game on its head after the Rams went two goals clear through Gareth Hill’s brace.
Full of hope, Ramsbottom United and a healthy number of fans, took to the air and sea as they made the annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man.
It represented a chance to see which was the real Rams, the one that had prevailed against fancied Trafford – or the one slumping to a four-two home defeat by South Liverpool.
The Ravens play in red and black, but it was the visitors, in familiar blue, who started best. The Rams looked comfortable with new signing Michael Ibeto slotting in well alongside Rowan Chambers and Charlie Cox who both looking lively, as those fans making the journey were treated to extended periods of sharp and slick passing football; incisive, to feet – and easy on the eye.
The Rams created a series of chances and on 33 minutes, Oscar Radcliffe seized on hesitant defending, cleverly rolled his defender and then slid in a low cross into the box. It was met by Gareth Hill, the in-form hitman didn’t have the cleanest of strikes but had a second go in stabbing it past Killey in the home goal and give the Rams a deserved lead.
Delighting the travelling support, it was Hill’s fourth goal in four starts in a blue shirt
The Rams continued to go forward and look for the second goal as they kept the home side pinned back for extended periods of play.
The hosts made changes at halftime with highly rated youngster, Charlie Higgins coming on with the intention of salvaging the game. The red shirts pressed much higher up the pitch and caused the Rams problems as a change in impetus was evident.
Six minutes in, however, the visitors fashioned a breakaway and the fine move led to a familiar combination unlocking the home defence. Radcliffe surged forwards on the right of the box before delivering a lovely low cross, which Hill, in-close, struck cleanly past Killey. It seemed a re-run of the first goal as Rams opened a two-goal lead.
The strike, however, only served to spark the home side into life. On the hour, Dean Pinnington created space on the Isle of Man’s right, before his teasing cross was met on the head by Higgins to beat Trueman and find the far corner of the net and bring the home side back into the game.
Memories of the Rams yielding a two-goal lead at Douglas Bowl last season began to enter Rams supporters’ minds as the visiting midfield appeared overrun by Higgins and the re-energised Ravens.
With the home crowd increasingly vocal, just two minutes later things got even worse. It was further dejà vu as another corner, this time from the home right, was fired across and then Higgins swung at it, connected, and fired in off the inside of the post before Trueman cleared the ball away. The officials indicated the ball had crossed the line and the home crowd reacted as the Rams lead dissolved into thin air.
Worse was to follow as the Rams imploded. On 72 minutes the rampant home side added a third following a fine overlapping a run emphatically finished off by Pinnington.
Despite a flurry of late chances for both sides, including the Rams hitting the cross bar, it was not to be, and a disappointing five points drops from the opening two away games in the Counties.
Ramsbottom United need to regroup quickly before potential rivals start to breakaway and having dropped five points from leading positions away from home this season, face a tricky encounter at Barnoldswick on Tuesday.
Assistant manager Richard Thomas was bemused at the end of the game.
“For large spells we controlled the game and put ourselves in an excellent position”, he reflected, “I thought the first half performance was excellent, then going 2-0 up we wanted to control the game.
“We had a really poor 15 minutes which allowed them back in the game. To let in three goals in 15 minutes is a game-changer, which was really disappointing as for large spells we dominated the game.
“On the back of conceding four goals last week and another three today, that is not good enough, and that’s something we need to address pretty quickly.
“We knew it was going to be difficult coming over here, but when you put yourself in such a good position at 2-0 up, the minimum you want to get out of that is a point, so it’s really disappointing to get nothing from it.”
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Trueman, Radcliffe, Cox (Lam), Ibeto, Wilson, Collinge, Forbes (Ogunby), Sowerby, Hill (Beca), Dudley, Chambers Not used: Beck
GOALS: Hill (36, 51); Higgins (61, 63), Pinnington (72)
ATT: 481
