RAMMY HELD IN DOWNPOUR

Matt Dudley goes close with a header against Charnock Richard on Saturday afternoon.

Well that was a wet one! Honours even at the HWRS this afternoon as Harvey Whyte’s 57th minute stunner was cancelled out just moments later by visiting skipper Lewis Haydock.

The first competitive game between these two mid-table sides saw the points shared on a wet and miserable afternoon at the HWRS.

There was little between them although the home side seemed to take an early grip on the game following their impressive 6-2 midweek away win at Skelmersdale United.

A neat passing game was impressive, but too many times it broke down before being able to inflict any damage on the visiting goal.

A couple of half-hearted penalty appeals hoped to gift the Rams an opportunity to open the scoring, then a fine through ball found young Ryan Lockett through on goal. The winger did everything right as he looked odds on to score, but a magnificent stop from Charnock keeper Connor Eastham deflected the ball into the side netting, much to the dismay of Lockett who must be wondering what he has to do to notch a goal for the club, having hit a post at Skelmersdale.

That side netting thwarted the home side on three further occasions before the break, as despite the Rams pressure, the sides went in at half-time goal-less.

Ramsbottom finally took the lead in the 57th minute.

A corner from the right was only partially cleared, and as the ball came back into the area, another half-clearance fell at the feet of Harvey Whyte, some 15 yards out, and he struck a beauty into the top corner, much to the delight of the fans and his team-mates.

Alas, the cheering had hardly subsided when the home defence allowed Lewis Haydock to equalise from close range.

From then on, both sides continued to play attractive football, with Matt Dudley twice being off target with headers for the home side, whilst an audacious strike from outside the area almost saw the points leave with the visitors, but fortunately for the Rams, the effort clipped the top of the crossbar and was cleared to safety.

Hardly a game to stay long in the memory, it would probably have been unfair for either side to lose.

Manager Steve Wilkes said after the game, “Disappointed to walk away with only a point from a game we had enough chances to win. Although Harry Moss kept us in early with a great save. The disappointment for me is that once again we haven’t won back-to-back games in the league. We need to start putting together a winning run and soon.”

Ramsbottom United: Moss, Hayhurst, Walder, Walker, Radcliffe, Roscoe, Sephton, Whittingham (Gallagher), Dudley, Whyte (Jackson), Lockett (Chingwaro). 

Att: 211