Here is our latest edition of Rammy On This Saturday as we look back at the events on the pitch on the respective Saturday’s in our non-league history.

SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER 2015
ILKESTON 3 RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 0

There had been signs of improvement in the Ramsbottom United ranks under Garry Vaughan. A win over Rushall Olympic, a narrow loss at Halesowen Town and then a good 2-0 success in the league cup against Warrington Town, thanks to two goals from England Schoolboy Aaron Smith, showed that things were starting to change.

But, even though that after 70 minutes of this away game at Ilkeston, we had held the hosts scoreless, that wasn’t exactly a fair reflection of the game as a whole.

And even when Shelton Payne’s free-kick had clearly crossed the line which wasn’t spotted by the referee or his assistant, it would have been a surprise to everyone that the Rams were a goal up.

As it transpired, Ilkeston did make their dominance count with three goals in the final 20 minutes to sentence the Rams to another defeat which continued to keep them firmly rooted to the foot of the table and the promising buds of recovery were sliced down.

The Rams played with the wind in their favour in the first half, the reluctance of Payne and Kayde Coppin up front to test the often nervous looking Evandro Rachoni in the Ilkeston goal was something of a mystery. And it was the hosts, through Udoh and Ndvolu, who were created the better of the chances but were unable to pierce Grant Shenton’s net.

Turning around goalless was a relief and a disappointment, especially now Ilkeston had the wind advantage which they used well to push the Rams deeper and deeper into their own half.

Then came the controversial moment which denied Payne, who hit a dipping free kick which beat the keeper and was clearly over the line before Rachoni hauled it clear.

Adding insult to injury, Ilkeston then went to the other end and Ndlovu bundled home following a rather untidy corner. It cracked the Rams resolve and the home side charged through with further goals from Michael Williams and then Udoh powered home from the edge of the area.

From 0-0 to 3-0 in just eight minutes left the Rams shaking their heads but it was more than the hosts deserved for a largely dominant performance.

It would be another two weeks before they got the chance to redeem themselves once more.

RAMSBOTTOM TEAM v Ilkeston 2015: Grant Shenton (capt), Robbie Bromley, Sam Grimshaw (Aaron Smith 83mins), Liam Gibson, Nia Bayunu, Prince Hayward, Shelton Payne, David Kuba-Kuba, Michael Oates (Jordan Bove 72mins), Alex Meaney (Matthew Crothers 72mins), Kayde Coppin. Subs not used: John Pritchard, Marcus Poscha

SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER 2009
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 4 PADIHAM 3

(Match report courtesy of the Lancashire Telegraph)

Ramsbottom United and Padiham served up an action-packed derby full of goals, plenty of incidents and controversy.

The Rams appeared to be cruising to victory after opening up a 4-1 lead but were forced to hang on as Padiham mounted a late fightback.

And that fightback would have been complete had Callum Little’s stoppage time header hit the back of the net rather than the crossbar.

Ed O’Neill was the hero of the hour for the Rams but villain of the piece for Padiham who believed he committed a foul in the build-up to the crucial second goal.

It was O’Neill who opened the scoring in a lively encounter when he blasted home from the edge of the area on 25 minutes.

Storks keeper Sean Davis denied the hosts a second, saving with his feet to deny Joel Pilkington. But two minutes later, Padiham were back on level terms when an unmarked Nehru McKenzie rose to head home a corner from close range.

With halftime approaching, O’Neill appeared to foul Stuart Telfer in the build-up to the second goal but it went unpunished and he slotted the ball past the advancing Davis.

Lee Connell thought he had increased the lead in the 48th minute when his free-kick hit the inside of the post before being cleared.

But he made his next chance count, rising the head home across from O’Neill.

Padiham had a big shout for a penalty turned down when Keiron Fletcher fouled Chris Ridehalgh in the area and to add insult to injury, the Rams extended their lead through joint player/manager Bernard Morley.

But Padiham weren’t finished and McKenzie scored his second with 15 minutes remaining before Damion Morrison clawed it back to 4-3 in the last minute and they were inches away from nicking a point when Little hit the bar.

RAMSBOTTOM TEAM v PADIHAM 2009: Damien Rooney, Shaun Whitehead, John Blackley, Kieron Fletcher, George Bowyer (Barry Shuttleworth 83mins), Bernard Morley, Joel Pilkington, Eddie O’Neill (Phil Dean 83mins), Carl Lomax (Barry Massey 79mins), Lee Connell, Andrew Sensale. Subs not used: Luke Bradley, Adam Morning

SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER 1998
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED 2 CLITHEROE 3

NWCFL LEAGUE CUP ROUND 2

Incredibly, this was yet another Cup game in this 1998/99 season. Of the last 14 games played, only four of them were in the league – playing in the FA Cup, FA Vase, LFA Trophy, League Cup and the Lancashire Amateur Trophy.

However, this result would mean that we were out of all of them and we could concentrate on the league.

Two goals from Danny Goodall was not enough to see us through to the next round, going down to near neighbours Clitheroe.

It was the sixth defeat in the space of seven games – a turnaround was needed!