Edition number four of this series looking back at the events on the pitch on the respective Saturday’s in our non-league history.

SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER 2015
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 1 BARWELL 3

Things really weren’t goiing to plan in this difficult 2015/16 campaign. Phil Edghill had been appointed caretaker manager and his first game in charge came away at Nantwich on the Tuesday night that preceded this home match with Barwell..

We lost 7-1 with Sam Grimshaw’s goal the only bright spot on a horror of an evening which left us firmly clamped to the foot of the NPL Premier Division table.

With October came new hope. And with a little bit of luck, things just might have been different against the side from Leicestershire.

The visitors hit the front with a penalty but Matthew Crothers strike on 47 minutes brought us back level. Could we grab something from this game? Sadly not, as Anthony Carney grabbed a second and then Iyseden Christie ensured they would take the points away on 86 minutes.

Played 13, won 0. 2 points collected from the season Just 9 goals scored and 35 conceded. Our fortune just had to change at some point or it was going to be a long, long season.

RAMSBOTTOM TEAM v BARWELL 2015: Grant Shenton, Andy Dawson, Max Harrop (Tom Hartley 70), Jake Cliffe, Prince Hayward, Jamie Rother (Alex Meaney 23), Sam Grimshaw, Ben Woods, Kyle Harrop, Charlie Russell (Luke Heron 82), Matthew Crothers. Subs not used: Callum Jones, Andrew Fitzgerald.

SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER 2009
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 2 BACUP BOROUGH 4 (aet)

(Match report from the Lancashire Telegraph)

THERE was more than just prize money and a place in the second round of the FA Vase at stake as Ramsbottom and Bacup battled it out for local pride. With just seven miles separating the two clubs, the neighbours served up a cup treat that went all the way to extra time.

Bacup boss Brent Peters rang the changes following the 3-2 defeat at Ashton Athletic in Lancashire Trophy with Lee Ellis and Moises Costa Soares making their first starts – and both made goal-scoring contributions to Bacup’s win.

Soares got Bacup off to a flying start with a goal inside seven minutes after robbing the Rams keeper to open the scoring.

Bacup bossed proceedings for the remainder of the half as they kept their hosts at bay.

But Ramsbottom were back on level terms five minutes after the restart when Ed O’Neil capitalised on some hesitancy in the Bacup defence to stab the ball home.

Ramsbottom were boosted by the goal and searched for a winner and only a wonderful save from Tommy Allen denied Barry Massey scoring a last minute winner for the home side.

Bacup made the most of their let off by regaining the lead three minutes in to extra-time when Ellis chipped the keeper after good work from Ricardo Brandao.

And that lead was extended eight minutes later when Martin Cosgrove capped off a fine display with a cool finish after being put through on goal.

But moments later, Cosgrove switched off at the end to allow Matt Edgington to drift in to pull one back from Ramsbottom.

The outcome was in the balance right up until the closing stages but with four minutes of extra time remaining, Ellis popped up to score his second and give Bacup Borough local bragging rights.

RAMSBOTTOM TEAM v BACUP BOROUGH 2009: John Ogden, John Blackley, Barry Shuttleworth, Andy Dawson, George Bowyer, Joel Pilkington, Barry Massey, Edward O’Neill (Phil Dean 96), Mark Sharples (Matt Ellis 79), Matthew Edgington, Anthony Johnson (Andrew Sensale 5). Subs not used: Damien Rooney, Joshua Hill.

SATURDAY 3rd OCTOBER 1998
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 3 BILLINGHAM TOWN 0

In our first ever season in the FA Cup, we had made the second qualifying round after a replay win over Maine Road and then a comfortable 3-0 home win over Shildon.

Next up was Billingham Town from just north-west of Middlesbrough and were playing in the Northern League, who came down to the Riverside on this day 22 years ago.

Goals from Russell Brierley, David Yorke-Robinson and Steve Orrell would see a repeat of the Shildon result and put us firmly into the hat for the third qualifying round … a sensational performance in our inaugural season in the competition.

Could we really go any further? A date with Southport was next in a couple of weeks time…..