DESPITE playing against 10 men for most of the game, Ramsbottom failed to get three much-needed NWCL Division One points at the Riverside last night.

They were up against stiff opposition in Warrington Town who, like the Rams, have had success in the League Cup despite their relatively low league position.

Returning to the team were key figures Lee Buggie and Gareth Gardiner, enabling various attacking options for manager Vince Overson, although once again he was forced to name his assistant Ged Walsh in the back four due to Mark Stewart's unavailability.

The match began at a frantic pace and when Warrington's Terry Nestor lunged into Danny Goodall with both feet, the referee had no alternative but to give Nestor his marching orders with only six minutes on the clock.

But Ramsbottom's problem was the service to the strikers until, on 40 minutes, Colin Bulwich flicked on an inch-perfect cross from Chris Clark and Matt Swailes slid in and flicked the ball beyond the keeper.

The Rams kicked off in the second half in search of the second goal to kill Warrington off, but unfortunately this never materialised and the visitors took the game to them.

Defensively, the Rams looked more solid than in recent weeks but when Phil Mitchell was found in acres of space inside the penalty area, he forced the ball beyond Paul Horridge to equalise after 82 minutes.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED...1

WARRINGTON TOWN...1