Ramsbottom United...1 Tow Law Town...2 (aet: 90 mins 1-1)

RUSSELL BRIERLEY's 22nd goal of the season wasn't enough to rescue Ramsbottom United's FA Vase hopes against no-nonsense Tow Law.

Brierley hit a 70th minute penalty to level it after Tow Law midfielder Kevin McGarrigue had given the visitors a 27th minute lead.

But the Rams couldn't capitalise on their best spell with the goal that mattered and the game went into extra time.

Tow Law, in command almost totally in the first half of normal time with their quick-passing, hard-running style of play, tired in the second half.

But the Rams lack of strength in depth up front was exposed, they failed to seize their chance to grab victory from the jaws of defeat and Tow Law got their second wind to go on and win it in extra time.

Ramsbottom boss Ken Bridge tried to compensate having a weakened midfield by playing five men across the middle with three at the back.

Dave Roach, Neil Wallace and skipper Warren Brierley were the triple rearguard, with Steve Brennan, Carl Trimble, Dave-Yorke Robinson, Danny Goodall and Martin Hulme strung across midfield.

Russ Brierley and Steve Orrell formed the Rams' twin strike force, but they got little change out of a Tow Law back line that had three giant defenders, all appearing to be approaching 7ft tall and, seemingly, almost as wide.

Make no mistake though, the County Durham outfit weren't a big boot, hard-tackling side.

They worked hard for each other, passed the ball about quickly and neatly and closed Ramsbottom down just as swiftly when the home side were in possession.

Tow Law gave an early indication of their intentions when only the linesman's offside flag stopped them breaking through on at least three occasions in the first 20 minutes.

Ramsbottom posed their first threat on goal when Yorke-Robinson sent a shot inches the wrong side of the near post after good skills from Brennan.

McGarrigue then punished the Rams with a shot from 20 yards that whistled into the bottom right hand corner.

It was no more than Tow Law deserved and the home support must have feared the worst as the Northern League side had been so much in control.

Things went from bad to worse when Orrell had to be replaced by Jamie Ramplin, forcing Yorke-Robinson out of midfield to partner Russ Brierley up front.

But Ramsbottom managed to keep the deficit down to that solitary goal up to the break and when the second half got under way, the home side began to get more of a grip on things.

They weren't helped though when big centre back Wallace had to go off in the 62nd minute and Phil Rose came on.

Six minutes later Russ Brierley shot low just past the far post after being put in by twin brother Warren.

Yorke-Robinson was brought down by Francis Jones two minutes after that and Russ made no mistake from the spot.

The visitors replied on 75 minutes when Goodall cleared a Paul Hague header off the line.

The game went into extra time and Tony Nelson saw a 100th minute shot hit Rams' keeper Mike Kelly on the legs. Seven minutes later substiutute Marc Nash crashed in a shot from the left-hand side of the box and that was game, set and match to the North Easterners.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: M Kelly 7; Roach 6, Wallace 6, W Brierley 7; Brennan 6, Trimble 5, Yorke-Robinson 6, Goodall 6, Hulme 6; R Brierley 6, Orrell 5. Substitutes: Ramplin (for Orrell, 34) 6, Rose (for Wallace, 62) 5. Subs not used: Fairhurst, Barton.

Ramsbottom United's first team travel to Salford City tomorrow afternoon for a First North Western Trains Division One game.

On Tuesday evening (November 23) Squires Gate are the visitors to the Riverside Ground in a Marsden Lancashire Trophy first round tie, kick-off 7.45pm.

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