Ramsbottom United...1 Thackley...0

RAMSBOTTOM made it through to the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup after a 1-0 win over Thackley in the Extra Preliminary Round.

The Yorkshire visitors were the first to mount an attack but David Cunningham fired well wide of Simon Marsh's goal.

Thackley then survived a scare as defender Craig Sugden was forced to head over his own cross bar from Ian Walker's dangerous free kick.

Ramsbottom continued to attack with Russell Brierley shooting a yard off target and Mike Langhorn's low cross flying beyond the Thackley back post. Walker then broke clear of the Thackley defence but one touch too many allowed keeper Aaron Brian to get in a vital block.

Thackley wide man Danny Ferrand tested Marsh with a deep cross but the Rams keeper was more than equal to the task. In the latter stages of the opening half the Thackley defence was kept at full stretch as Darren Blore headed wide and Russell Brierley's pace provided him with an opportunity but his final shot was a yard off target.

In the final seconds Marsh produced a stunning save as the visitors almost grabbed a shock half-time lead.

In the opening minute of the second half, Marsh was again in action producing a couple of excellent saves as Thackley looked for a breakthrough.

But on 53 minutes Ramsbottom took the lead when Russell Brierley forced home Longhorn's in-swinging free kick. Thackley now came forward in greater numbers as they looked for an equaliser.

With the game entering the final quarter, play became scrappy and Ramsbottom had a real let-off when James March was left unmarked but the striker fired over the top of Marsh's goal.

Five minutes from time, substitute Danny Goodall should have sewn things up for the Rams as he shot a foot over from eight yards after being set up by Brierley. In the end though that 53rd minute strike was enough to see Ramsbottom through to the next round.