Underperforming
Ramsbottom have
now gone three months without a victory of any kind and now the
pressure is starting to mount on manager Neil Hart as some
sections of the clubs supporters are starting to voice their
concerns.The clubs last
victory came during their 2-0 victory over Kirkham and Wesham in
the League Cup way back on November 11th 2007 and since then his
side have drawn four and lost six of the last ten league and cup
games.
The sun shone
brightly on a spring-like day at Shawe View, but sadly, the
quality of the football on offer did not match the conditions.
Trafford are
looking potential champions, but on this showing, one can only
assume they were having an off day.
Not that
Ramsbottom were any better, for the highlights of this match
were squeezed into a two minute spell midway through the first
half.
Pressure on
the visitor’s goal saw Campbell palm the ball out only for
Trafford’s Scott Barlow to react quickest to fire home the
rebound as the Rams defence stood and watched.
Worse was to
follow two minutes later, when a cross from the left found
Barlow again in acres of space to confidently head home and
double Trafford’s lead.
Yet until that
point the Rams had matched their opponents. Anthony Johnson had
a shot snatched from under the bar by the home ‘keeper, before
former United player Chris McKay sent an effort over Campbell’s
bar.
A poor
clearance from Campbell almost resulted in a third home goal,
but Eckersley scrambled back to hack the ball off the line with
the home fans already celebrating,
And Barlow,
proving a constant thorn in the side of the visiting defence
went agonisingly close following good approach work, when his
shot rebounded back from the wrong side of the side netting.
The Rams held
the ball well in the second half, and efforts from Matt Ward,
Lee McNally and Matt Kay could have brought a consolation, but
the lack of goals continues to be a worry.
Manager Neil
Hart continues to bring in new players in an attempt to mould a
side for the future, and new boys Dean Thurston and Graham
Vaughan worked hard up front without ever threatening the home
goal.
The Rams were
certainly not over-awed by the title-chasing Trafford, but
despite some neat passing, they never looked like getting
anything from what was a disappointing encounter.
Ramsbottom
: Campbell, Williams, Eckersley, Winstanley (sub McLellan
45min), Blackley, Kay, McNally, Ward(sub Pearson 67min),
Thurston, Johnson, Vaughan (sub Crank 81min). Subs not used:
Bancroft, Dryden
