Ramsbottom United returned to the top of NWCFL Premier Division with a 2-1 home win against Cheadle Town on Saturday.

The opening exchanges were good, and after seven minutes a free-kick deep in the Rams half was planted forward with a deep, raking diagonal ball from captain Andy Teague. It was cushioned by Uppal who laid back into the path of Tom Hoyle who composed himself and rifled a low shot across the keeper.

More was to follow as the Rams kept up the pressure with some lovely free-flowing football.

After 19 minutes, Oscar Radcliffe, on the right, played a one-two from a throw and was able to deliver a deep cross towards the far post. Not for the first time this season, fellow wing-back, Harvey Hayhurst, read the cross on the run to head back across the keeper and into the far corner to double the Rams lead.

At this stage it looked like the game might turn into a rout but Cheadle, to their credit, remained composed, and continued to play neat possession-based football.

Rams manager Steve Wilkes freshened it up at the break with Uppal replaced by Oumar Kamara for the second half.

The match continued in an open manner, with Cheadle’s possession countered by the hard-working Rams keeping a good shape and creating chances themselves.

Debutant Oliver Putnam came on for Hoyle and was unlucky when put through by Camara. He picked his spot and, as a goal looked certain, saw it come back off the bar .

A few minutes later Puttnam got even closer when he rounded the keeper and shot goalwards only to see a tumbling defender clear it somehow off the line -with a strong call for a penalty waved away by referee Corrie.

Fellow substitute Harry Ocana was perhaps unlucky a few minutes later when tracking back to commit a card-able foul but there was surprise when the referee awarded a red, meaning Rams would have to play at the remaining minutes with only 10 men.

Buoyed by their man advantage, Cheadle pushed forward, and Rams were to be grateful for their young keeper, Brad Rose, in the closing minutes.

But there was to be one final twist, in the fifth minute of added time. An in-swinging corner sailed over everybody, keeper included, until it was cleared. The assistant had a good position, and indicated the ball had fully crossed the line but despite the goal the Rams held on.

The league this year is a slog, it is only mid-October but after a remarkable 20 games, the Rams regained the lead at the top of the table with a healthy 43 points ahead of Tuesday’s home game against AFC Liverpool.

Manager Steve Wilkes said: “It was a really good performance on the back of the week we have just had. We knew Cheadle like to have a little of the ball and play out from the back, so we set the lads up to nullify that, and they did it to a man.

“To be two up in the first 20 minutes, after setting traps, was pleasing to see.

“Second half they’ve had a lot more of the ball but we could have and should have made it three or four with the chances we created.

“Disappointed obviously, conceding with the last kick of the game, but that’s 20 league games in and it’s a healthy return.”