STORKS COMEBACK IN BANK HOLIDAY LOSS
Rams go close as a bumper crowd turn out for this top two Bank Holiday tussle at Padiham.
RAMSBOTTOM UTD 1
The tree-fringed Ruby Civil Arena at Padiham hosted the Rams and their fans on Bank Holiday Monday in the late summer sweltering heat.
The home team’s emblem, the stork, represents the Starkie family from palatial Huntroyde nearby and instrumental in founding the club as far back as 1878; and neighboring Burnley four years later where the same image still sits atop the club’s badge. More discretely they worked behind the scenes helping the economic development of the town of Ramsbottom – today’s visitors.
Steve Wilkes elected to keep the bulk of the team which performed well in their win against the Isle of Man on Saturday. It’s far too early in the season to talk about this being a crunch game, but the former league leaders were replaced over the weekend by the visitors.
The Rams, playing in red and black with the home team in blue, started brightly. A Richie Baker effort was fired over the top and, minutes later, an even better effort from a stretching Oscar Radcliffe, from a recycled corner, cleared the cross bar from almost on the goal line.
Home captain Joel Brownhill was injured in a clash, and though he limped on he was eventually replaced by Jakob Hebda.
The visitors were finding their passes and an ambitious lofted effort from Jamie Rother, saw him read the bounce and have home keeper, Brad Sullivan, scrambling to tip a goal-bound effort onto the crossbow and away for a corner which was eventually cleared.
An excellent first half with both teams adapting well and Rams unlucky to go in goalless and giving the home team something of a lesson in possession football.
After the restart the Rams soon had something to celebrate as the ball was stabbed in following a sensational crossfield Hayhurst run. Unfortunately, the referee had seen an infringement and the cheers melted away as the goal was disallowed.
The Rams, however, didn’t have long to wait for their deserved breakthrough on 57 minutes. An attack down the right saw the ball centred and captain Richie Baker rising high to head emphatically into the roof of the net and celebrated with the delighted travelling fans.
It was no more than the Rams, sweating for the cause, closing down, pressing high and passing so well, deserved as they silenced the home fans in the large six hundred and eighty plus crowd.
From the shade and comfort of the press seats it was easy to urge more of the same and discourage any temptation to sit back and defend the lead for the remaining third of the game – but that’s what happened.
Padiham, second best all afternoon, sensed the easing up and a few minutes later they had their equaliser.
A move down the right wasn’t properly cleared and Freddie Machell, who always seems to score against the Rams, was able to find a good angle and drive the ball past Rose from close range and find the equaliser the home team scarcely deserved.
Minutes later worse was to follow. A corner from the left was won by the tall Hebda who beat Rose to the ball and headed into the net to give the home side the two one lead and delight the previously muted home fans.
Rams responded with substitutions as the Ultras tried to lift their deflated team as they were forced to chase once more. They did create chances with Holland-Wilkinson and Terry Cummings, both looking impressive when they came on, but there was to be no way through.
In the final minutes of injury time, salt was rubbed in the wound with a home breakaway finding space in the box and beating Rose and making the score line and even more painful three one to Padiham.
Overall, the Rams played so well for much of this game and will kick themselves for allowing the tempo to drop and the opposition to dictate the last half hour of the match. The Rams allowed precious points to slip from their grasp from a winning position but go again on Tuesday at home to Wythenshawe and must pick themselves up for the many league games ahead.
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Rose, Radcliffe (Winstanley), Hayhurst, Wallbank, Barlow, Walder, Baker, Walker (Cummings), Turner (Holland-Wilkinson), Dudley, Rother (Stacey) Not Used: Whittingham
GOALS: Richie Baker (57); Freddie Machell (62), Jakub Hebda (70), Lucas Wane (90+5)
ATT: 683
