Ramsbottom Utd 0 - Clitheroe 1

IT was a night of sharply contrasting fortunes for these two sides

A knee injury sustained by skipper Warren Brierley dealt the Rams a double whammy as they slumped to their first home defeat since April 1999.

Martin Aspinall's fine 78th minute finish meant Clitheroe, on the other hand, have made their best start to a season for ten years,

The goal maintained Clitheroe's 100 per cent record, the only one left in the North West Counties Division One after the first four games of the new 2000-2001 season.

Mark Heyes saw a shot rebound back off Clitheroe keeper Kris Richens chest as early as the second minute. Russell Brierley latched onto the ball, but the referee blew up for an infringement before the Rams hitman could turn and get a shot in.

It was all Ramsbottom in the first half and Russ Brierley played a wonderful ball through for Heyes in the 14th minute, but the finish was poor.

Ramsbottom's pressure failed to produce many clear-cut opportunities in the penalty box and they got their first scare at the other end on 32 minutes.

A wayward pass inside from the right in his own half by Dave Yorke-Robinson put Neil Spencer in and the Clitheroe striker held his head in anguish seconds later after seeing Rams' keeper Keith Neild pull off a vital save.

Yorke-Robinson almost made amends with a 22-yard shot from out on the right five minutes before the break, but could only watch as the effort went just wide of the near post.

Nine minutes into the second half came the moment when the Rams thought their season had taken a real turn for the worst after just four games.

Warren Brierley crashed into the hoardings at the railway end as he once again went about his defensive duties fearlessly.

The sight of him lying outstretched on the damp Riverside turf and then being stretchered off was a grim one indeed, but it is understood the injury is not as bad as was first feared and may be only severe bruising.

Russell put a low, diagonal shot just wide from Gary Gardiner's through ball on 63 minutes and it was nip and tuck after that, until Aspinall struck in the 78th.

He appeared to have been pushed wide enough to the right of the penalty box to make the shot difficult, but the Clitheroe man confounded everyone with a marvellous effort that zipped low inside Nield's far post.

The goal fired up Clitheroe and they laid siege to the Ramsbottom goal for a lengthy spell.

But all they could manage in the remainder of the game, which included five minutes of stoppage time, was a shot from Lee Cryer that went just the wrong side, or the right side as far as Ramsbottom were concerned, of a post.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Neild 6; Smith 7, W Brierley 7, Wallace 6; G Gardiner 6, Grimshaw 6, Bowman 6, Yorke-Robinson 7, Goodall 6; R Brierley 7, Heyes 6. Substitutes: Ramplin (for W Brierley, 54 mins) 6, D Gardiner (for Heyes, 76). Not used: Brookes. Referee: Barry Ward (Rossendale).

Gretna is the venue for tomorrow's FA Cup preliminary round tie, which is to be featured on Border Television. Maybe, Granada will have some footage sent down for our area!

If the game is drawn, the replay will be at the Riverside on Tuesday evening, September 5 (kick-off 7.45pm).

A home league match with Abbey Hey will go ahead if there is a winner tomorrow.