JHW DOUBLE IN WYTHENSHAWE WIN
Jacob Holland-Wilkinson wheels away after the first of his two goals on Tuesday night.
WYTHENSHAWE 0
An early brace from Jacob Holland-Wilkinson sent the Rams on their way before Luke Sephton added a third just before half-time. With the scoring done, the win moves Steve Wilkes’ team back up to second in the Premier Division table.
On a lovely evening for football Ramsbottom United arguably produced their best display of the season under the floodlight on Tuesday.
The excitement started as early as the second minute as the Rams appeared to find a way through. Although ruled out for offside the home supporters didn’t have long to wait as a minute later as blue shirts swarmed forwards. Jacob Holland-Wilkinson accelerated down the left before advancing into the area and firing a hard-low daisy cutter shot which beat Forde for pace, before finding the net in front of the delighted ultras.
Such early breakthroughs are becoming something of a feature of the Rams play this season and especially for Holland-Wilkinson who started the season in almost identical style and continues in his rich goalscoring vein of form.
The visitors, playing in red and black stripes, looked shell shocked as the Rams strung together a series of delightful moves based around the hard-working midfield prompted by the always available Richie Baker and supported by Tom Walker and with Luke Sephton also joined the clever passing patterns. Sephton was to take some punishment from the Wythenshawe defenders clearly irked by his incisive movement.
The midfield continued to build and were in tigerish mood, and kept the visitors pegged back as they strung together in a series of lovely moves. In the twelfth minute persistence paid off. This time Matt Dudley broke free on the left and produced an inviting low cross – met on the run by Jacob Holland Wilkinson who once more had no hesitation in planting the ball past Ford for a dream start for the home team
Just as surprise was being voiced that Rams weren’t being given a harder battle by a team sitting eighth in the table the visitors produced a rare attempt on goal as former Bury man Brian Ly fastened on to a long goal kick to fire a snapshot which cracked against against Brad Rose’s post.
Rams’ build-up play was unrelenting as last season’s total football returned with a vengeance and the crowd responded to produced great atmosphere. A foul on Luke Sephton was waved away by referee Holland before a second one brought a near melee. This time a foul was given, and Baker’s free kick smacked the underside of the bar and Sephton booked for following in as the cheers subsided.
Justice was done minutes later as another foul saw a defender get a head to Baker’s free kick. The ball steepled upwards however and Sephton read the trajectory to calmly back head past Forde for Rams third and complete a wonderful first half.
As the match resumed Walder, who had taken a knock, was replaced by Winstanley and the contest became rather less one-sided as Wythenshawe started to put a few moves together.
The Rams continued to battle but the run of the ball sometimes eluded the forwards and the chances which were fashioned went begging.
in the final 10 minutes Rams were to be grateful for Rose’s agility. Time and again he was in the right place at the right time to thwart Wythenshawe breakaways and, on one occasion, his remarkable speed in getting down low in evidence as h made a fantastic full-length ground save to keep the lead intact. Minutes later, as a shot flashed goalwards Rose acrobatically turned it away before bouncing to his feet to save the headed follow-up – which looked a certain goal.
Rams finished with a series of late substitutions giving some of the wider squads and valuable minutes and we’re good value for the three nil win and a welcome return to winning ways after the defeat at Padiham on Bank Holiday Monday.
They turned on a display to delight the healthy three hundred plus crowd and demonstrate that this team is capable of greater things. It’s particularly pleasing to produce a clean sheet as the Rams tightened up at the back and go back home again on Saturday as they mount their challenge for the top end of the table.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Rose, Radcliffe, Hayhurst (Cummings), Wallbank, Barlow, Walder (Winstanley), Baker, Holland-Wilkinson (Stacey), L Sephton (Turner), Dudley (Rother), Walker
GOALS: Jacob Holland-Wilkinson (4, 13), Luke Sephton (45+1)
ATT: 320
