The gradual rebuilding of the Rams squad by new boss Neil Harte and his assistant Iain McLellan continued with three new faces making their debut on a heavy Cougar Park pitch in Keighley.

All three played their part in what was probably the best performance of the season, and a continuation of this rebuilding augurs well for the future.

How the side failed to return over the border with all three points is a mystery, for the Rams dominated against a team that had scored 5 goals only a week before.

Two of the new boys, Lee McNally and Aiden Eames showed great potential up front, as the visitors ran at the home side from the off. Chances galore were created with both Anthony Johnson and Andy Sensale going close in the opening minutes.

Sturdy defence by the Silsden back line kept out efforts from Sean Pearson and Johnson again, before Gino Pulvino was inches too high with a rasping shot from outside the penalty area.

Debutant centre-half, Colin McAllister, in for the departed Chris Nestor, made a superb last ditch tackle to prevent the home side taking an early lead against the run of play, but soon the action returned to the other end. Sensale seemed to be tugged back when in a good position, but the referee waved play on, then Johnson, again, was inches away with a pile-driver.

Sensale then saw his effort superbly turned over by the home keeper as the assault continued.

Then a double effort from the home side required the otherwise unoccupied Martin Campbell in the Rams goal to be alert twice in as many minutes.

Just as it looked as though the visitor’s pressure would yield no reward, the goal so richly deserved came about in a freakish sort of way. Three minutes to the break, Johnson threaded a superb ball through to Sensale in the box, and his first time strike bounced back off the advancing keeper onto the body of the on-rushing Pearson, who gladly took the plaudits as it ricocheted into the back of the net!

No doubt a stern talking to by the home manager had some effect, for Silsden had more possession in the second half, but the main chances continued to fall to the Rams, with Johnson and Sensale proving a handful for the over-worked home defence. That defence found itself a man short when home skipper Martin Bland was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

More chances went begging to McNally, Eames and Pulvino, but still the visitors looked comfortably in control as the clock ticked down.

Then one calamitous piece of poor marking undid all the good work. A long ball down the Silsden left was chased and finally centred for Holmes to pick his spot from 15 yards with no Ramsbottom defender within five yards of him.

It proved a cruel blow with just three minutes remaining, and robbed the side of two precious points.

Perhaps before the game Ramsbottom would have been satisfied with a point, but after 90 minutes it felt as though Dick Turpin had turned up.

Best performance of the season, with the Rams playing some lovely football on the floor, and with a little more tinkering, this looks to have the making of a very good team.


RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Campbell, Williams, Eckersley, Blackley, McAllister, Pulvino, McNally, Eames, Johnson, Sensale, Pearson, (Subs not used: Bancroft, Kay

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