A nightmare week
for manager Neil Hart ended with a terrific performance and
result against Runcorn Linnets at the Riverside Ground.
The Rams boss had been under
pressure to end a winless run that went as far back as November
last year and he issued a brief statement saying that he would
do whatever it took to end that run and start getting points put
back onto the board.
Well, his team put in a
performance not seen at the Riverside for many months as they
tore a strong, physical Runcorn side to pieces with some neat,
free flowing football that at times belittled their lowly 14th
position in the league table.
And on this showing it begs the
question as to how the Rams went ten games without earning a
victory!
The rout started in the 12th
minute when a freekick was awarded to the Rams just outside the
area when a defender was adjudged to have handled the ball.
The Rams assistant manager, Iain
McLellan stood over the ball and perhaps many in the ground
expected it to be delivered to the onrushing forwards but a
sweetly struck shot over the wall saw the keeper claw at thin
air as the ball dropped over his head and into the back of the
net.
Minutes later and Dean Thurston
almost doubled the Rams lead when Matt Eckersley found space
down the left side and sent in a delightful cross that Thurston
got his head too. However, Robbie Holcroft somehow found
an extra inch in his stride as he palmed the ball onto the bar
and out for what should have been a corner. The assistant
instead ruled for a goalkick.
At the other end of the field,
the returning John Ogden in goal was in fine form as he kept the
Rams lead intact with a wonderful double save.
Runcorn to their credit upped
the tempo and where starting to dictate the play with some nice
attacking football but the Rams defence stood firm and dealt
with most things comfortably.
The second half saw a much more
physical Runcorn side as they started to let frustration get in
the way of their football but the Rams carried on playing and
within minutes of the restart they were unlucky not to go two
goals up when Dean Thurston was played through the middle of the
park but he seemed to be in two minds on whether or not to shoot
or cross and when he did finally make up his mind, his
cross/come shot went agonisingly wide of the far post with club
captain Anthony Johnson only inches away from connecting.
Niggly tackles and a lack of
composure started to surface and when the young referee finally
showed a red-card it came as no surprise to the watching
spectators.
Joe McKane saw red for a
headbutt on Hyden Eames after the referee had awarded the Rams a
freekick for a late tackle. This seemed to give the
green light for both sides to get involved in ugly
confrontations and the referee did well to only show the yellow
card to a host of players from both sides in a mad five minute
spell.
At this point the Rams took
control of the game and within minutes of McKanes sending off
they went two-nil in front.
A long ball by McLellan found
Dean Thurston in acres of space and after re-adjusting his body
position he curled in a delightful cross past the diving
Holcroft in goal.
As the half wore on the Rams
were in complete control and only last ditch defending prevented
them from increasing their lead.
However, not to be outdone, new
signing Graham Vaughan got in on the act with a fortuitous goal
when Anthony Johnson broke free and after sending over an
inch-perfect cross, Vaughan's initial shot was horrible executed
- but the ball cannoned off his shin and looped over the keeper
near the post and into the net.
In the dying minutes of the game
the Rams once again broke the offside trap and substitute Matt
Kay found himself one-on-one with the keeper and he took his
time before planting the ball firmly into the net.
Many Runcorn supporters seemed
unhappy with the performance of the referee and his assistants
but in all fairness they handled the game and the unnecessary
lack of composure from the visiting team very well.
The sending off was fully justified and so were the many yellow
cards that were dished out to BOTH sides.
Runcorn came to the Riverside as
many peoples favourites to take the points but all credit must
go to the management team and players of Ramsbottom United for
producing their best performance of the season, if not in the
last couple of years.
If they can carry this
performance through to the end of the season then all bodes well
for the future. Manager Neil Hart said after the
game that he expects all of his sides to play football in the
right way and that's exactly what they did today.
A fantastic performance all
round by the home side and the Rams supporters can all look
forwards with a little more hope and optimism for the future.
