RAMSBOTTOM UNITED...1 ALSAGER TOWN...3 NWCFL First Division.

MANAGER Vince Overson must have been wondering which Ramsbottom team would turn up for its fourth game in six days; the one that lost 6-4 and 2-0, or the one that won 4-1.

Unfortunately it was the former.

Without keepers Paul Horridge and Simon Marsh, along with outfield players Chris Clarke, Micky Saunders, Matty Swailes, Ged Walsh or the Gardiner brothers, the Rams were down to the bear bones, fielding just two subs, recent signings Michael West and Nick McCool.

They were up against an Alsager side lying in sixth, and as early as the sixth minute the visitors could have taken the lead.

Jordan Rispen's awkward challenge gave away a free kick just inside the 'd' of the Rammy 18-yard box, and Andy Kinsey's deftly struck shot cleared the defensive wall but rebounded to safety off Paul Eatock's crossbar.

That should have been warning enough for the Rammy defence, but it remained half asleep and conceded the first goal in the 11th minute.

The ball was threaded through to the six yard box and despite having at least two chances to clear it, Rammy dithered and Kinsey this time got is foot to it to stroke it over the line for the opener.

In the first quarter it was all Alsager who were first to the ball and seemed to win every one-on-one tussle, especially in midfield.

On 21 minutes Kinsey thought he'd struck his and his side's second when, from another free kick this time on the left, it was swung towards goal, but Eatock made an acrobatic diving save to palm over the bar.

Then, almost out of the blue, Rammy popped up to score against the run of play in the 25th minute.

From a free kick on the left the ball was pumped into the Alsager penalty area and this time it was the turn of the visitors' defence to hesitate, with the ball squirming free and Lee Buggie reacted quickest, his diving header beating visiting keeper Rob Powner to square things at 1-1.

This seemed to settle Rammy and they began to find their shape.

Danny Goodall popped up out of nowhere to bring a good save out of Powner with a looping header.

He followed it up on the stroke of half-time with a fierce shot that was cleared off the line.

Rammy should have learned their lesson from the first half, but unfortunately they didn't, and within three minutes of the restart were again caught cold to go 2-1 behind.

This time it was Will Hurley who forced the ball over the line after the Rams' defence had failed to clear the danger from their own six yard area.

On 50 minutes Buggie forced Powner into another good save, but in truth the Rams were finding it difficult to create decent chances.

Buggie, and makeshift strike partner Iain Dyson, still recovering from a back injury, toiled relentlessly, winning the ball in the air and on the ground and holding on to it well before laying off good passes, but their efforts were not matched by those of their team-mates.

At the back Jordan Rispen at times looked commanding, but he received inconsistent help from his fellow defenders.

This was exemplified when Alsager scored their third.

From a free kick out on the left, the ball was launched to the far post, where Mark Stewart, for all his height was beaten in the air, the ball was nodded into the middle where centre back Wayne Brotherton nipped in to head home on 54 minutes.

Rammy continued to battle away and forced a series of corners in the final 12 minutes but couldn't convert them into goals.

Overson gave subs West and McCool a late run out, but apart from efforts from West and Swailes Rammy never really threatened and suffered yet another home defeat.

With just four games left - two home, two away - beginning with a trip to Atherton Collieries tomorrow, Overson will no doubt be relieved just to have a full squad from which to choose, as he struggles to end the season on a winning, if not a high note.

RAMSBOTTOM: Eatock, Raywood, Goodall, Rispen, Stewart, Boden, Smith, Brown, Buggie, Dyson, Hardman. Subs: West, McCool.