RAMS UP TO SECOND WITH WIN AT SOUTH
Matt Dudley congratulates Luke Sephton on his opening goal.
NWC Premier • 4 Feb 2026
A goal early in each half, Luke Sephton heading in from a Terry Cummings cross and Harvey Hayhurst slamming home after being picked out by Finlay Cross-Adair, gave the Rams all three points from tonight’s trip to Merseyside.
Ramsbottom United travelled to the banks of the river Mersey on Wednesday evening to face mid-table South Liverpool, a side looking to dent the Rams promotion aspirations.
The white shirted hosts battled in the opening minutes of the game, which started scrappily with the ball often in the air and tussles taking place throughout the pitch.
After ten minutes, however, the blue shirted Rams strung together a move of real quality. Maine Walder’s pinpoint cross-field switch found Terry Cummings charging down the right who beat his man before producing a well-flighted cross into the box. Luke Sephton, with clever movement, met the ball on the run and headed it past keeper Lucas Allan and into the far corner to give the visitors a precious lead.
Rams’ efforts to build on the advantage and get their passing game going were thwarted as South Liverpool tried to disrupt them and with the ball going out of play for seemingly endless throw ins, a series of injuries which although not serious slowed any impetus.
The Rams fashioned a couple more chances and kept the home side penned into their own half for long periods of time without ever quite looking as if they would score again.
Half time arrived with Ramsbottom one-nil to the good and their travelling supporters hoping that they could keep the momentum going.
They needn’t have worried as the Rams were quick out of the blocks with Rick Whittingham combining with Baker to fashion a series of dangerous moves. One, down the left, saw a vicious low cross driven in – but nobody was there to tap it in as it flashed wide of Allan’s post.
Minutes later came a thing of beauty. Luke Sephton sprinted down the right as did Finlay Cross-Adair further up the pitch. Sephton’s precise low through ball located him and he kept the sweeping move going, Cross-Adair ran to the byline, turning the home defence, before delivering a controlled cross. It found Harvey Hayhurst in support at the edge of the box, who took a touch to steady himself before looking up and crashing a sensational strike which flew past Allan to nestle in the far corner of the net.
The goal, the latest in a series of wonder strikes, saw Hayhurst mobbed by teammates and then ran across for the acclaim of the Ultras gathered behind the net and afforded a splendid view of it.
Confidence coursed through the visitors as the pass and move total football of the Autumn returned and left the home team chasing shadows, so much so that the crowd around the press box showed their appreciation of the quality to which they were witness.
Move after move opened the South Liverpool defence as the ball kept moving and it didn’t allow the home defence to settle with some delightful and lengthy periods of possession football at its best.
Terry Cummings, excellent on the night, made way to a standing ovation as first Finlay Wallbank and then Jacob Holland-Wilkinson showed the quality of the squad the Rams now have at their disposal.
There was no let up from the Rams, Holland Wilkinson nearly added the icing on the cake in the closing minutes as he looked to have found the far corner with a flashing drive – which just eluded the beaten Allan’s left-hand post.
This was a complete performance by the Rams, built on hard work and discipline, showing real resolve and underpinned with the clean sheet.
It puts them very much back in the promotion frame, let’s hope they can build upon this impetus as they go again at Charnock Richard on Saturday.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Rose, Cummings (Wallbank), Hayhurst, Wilson, Barlow, Walder, Baker, Walker (Whittingham), Dudley, Sephton, Cross-Adair (Holland-Wilkinson) Not Used: McCann, Stacey
GOALS: Luke Sephton (10), Harvey Hayhurst (57)
ATT: 130
