Soccer: Rams on the up!

TWO second half goals finally overcame a stubborn Nantwich side as Ramsbottom continued to put pressure on the division's leading lights.

The Rams' injury problems continued with John Bowman and Barry White coming in for Mike Langhorn and Danny Goodall.

Right from the first minute Nantwich were forced back and Russell Brierley had the ball in the net on four minutes with a spectacular overhead kick, but a linesman's flag ruled out the goal for offside.

On nine minutes Neil Wallace struck the crossbar with a header following a corner on the left. In the opening 15 minutes play was almost entirely concentrated in the Nantwich half with both John Bowman and Barry White prominent down the left side.

Nantwich keeper Stuart Heeps, who had a spell at the Riverside a couple of seasons ago, made a brave save at the feet of the onrushing Brierley.

Somehow the visitors survived with their goal intact and Heeps was again in action with a fine fingertip save to deny Brierley.

By the 30-minute mark Nantwich's tactics of putting nine men behind the ball were certainly paying dividends as they continued not only to frustrate Ramsbottom, but mount a few spasmodic attacks of their own, with the lively Danny Griggs bringing a couple of saves from Keith Nield.

A promising build-up involving Chris Willcock and Brierley gave Phil Porter a chance, but the ball bobbled at the last moment and the midfielder fired over the top.

The first half ended goalless with Nantwich looking pleased to be still on level terms.

The second half opened with the Rams again on the attack, winning a corner in the opening minute. Brierley did well to get a header in, but unfortunately it finished high and wide of the Nantwich goal.

On 51 minutes, Paul Cameron picked up a half clearance and hammered in a shot from the edge of the box that beat Heeps, but was a couple of inches over the crossbar.

Nantwich then had their best chance of the game when Andy Hough fired wide from a good position. The tricky Griggs then brought a fine save from Nield as the Cheshire side started to ask a few questions of their own.

The Rams introduced Darren Bowman for Paul Cameron as they looked for that elusive opening goal and on 63 minutes Andy Grimshaw's header did the trick.

Darren Bowman's free-kick was flicked on by Willcock and Grimshaw headed into the top corner, leaving Heeps helpless. After going behind Nantwich became a little more adventurous with Griggs the main threat and he came close to an equaliser with a shot from 12 yards that was no more than a foot over the Rams' crossbar.

Ramsbottom went 2-0 up on 75 minutes when the Nantwich defence failed to clear Porter's cross and Willcock capitalised by crashing the ball into the roof of the net from 10 yards out.

The final 15 minutes saw Ramsbottom looking to build on their two-goal advantage, but in the end they had to settle for those two second half strikes.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Nield 8, Wallace 8, J Bowman 8, Smith 7, Thomas 7, Grimshaw 8, Porter 7, Cameron 7, Brierley 7, Willcock 8, White 7. Substitutes: Orrell (for J Bowman, 75 mins), D Bowman (for Cameron, 50 mins) 7, Briddon (for White, 70 mins) 7.

Ramsbottom entertain Clitheroe in a Worthington Challenge Cup tie at the Riverside tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).