RAMSBOTTOM bowed out of the Carling FA Vase when they were sunk by an extra-time winner from the 1998 finalists.

Russell Brierley took the second-round replay into extra-time when he converted a penalty 20 minutes from time.

But it was Northern League outfit Tow Law Town who booked their place in round three when substitute Mark Nash scored in the second period of extra-time to finally separate the two sides after 240 minutes of football.

Ramsbottom had midfielder Carl Trimble back in their line-up but with goalkeeper Gary Stones suffering from 'flu, assistant manager Mike Kelly took over between the posts.

United had a chance to take the lead in the opening seconds but Danny Goodall couldn't convert David Yorke-Robinson's cross and Brierley then saw a shot fly wide of the target against the run of play.

However, Tow Law deservedly took the lead after 28 minutes when after a spell of pressure Kevin McGarrigle powered a shot through a crowded goalmouth. Ramsbottom replaced the injured Steve Orrell with Jamie Ramplin and it took some excellent defending from Warren Brierley, Neil Wallace and Dave Roach to keep the visitors at bay. But Ramsbottom stepped up a gear after the break and a dangerous ball from Ramplin caused panic in the Tow Law defence as they scrambled the ball away for a corner.

And after Tony Nelson had gone close to making it 2-0, Ramsbottom then had their best spell of the game with a cross-shot from Yorke-Robinson beating Grant Wilson but going inches wide.

The breakthrough finally came, though, when Yorke-Robinson was brought down in the box and Brierley kept his nerve to equalise from the spot and take the tie in extra-time again.

Yorke-Robinson missed a gilt-edged chance to put the hosts ahead, while at the other end Kelly made a stunning save from substitute Mark Nash.

But two minutes into the second period, with both sides tiring, Nash had the final word when he broke forward and rammed the ball past Kelly.

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