The sun made a brief appearance as the Rams returned to home comforts at the Riverside on Saturday with visitors Pilkington the opposition, writes Charley Rattan.

The Ramsbottom team, knocked out of the FA vase the previous week, are riding high in the league, which has already met its halfway stage in terms of the 46 games program.

Although gruelling, the front loading might reduce some of the frustrations of last season, where endless postponements meant a struggling team never really found its rhythm.

Steve Wilkes made a few changes due to suspensions and the main Walder returned to the centre of defence and a chance for young Corey Stacey to stake a claim in midfield. This meant Luke Sephton playing in a slightly more advanced role.

Early defensive sloppiness from the hosts allowed Pilkington, clad in green, to break forward in the second minute and blaze a very good chance over the bar.

It was precursor to a tentative opening quarter of an hour as both teams attempted to work each other out

All of that became academic as, in the 17th minute, Tom Hoyle drove down the left and continued into the box at pace, before unleashing a thunderbolt shot. The keeper was well-positioned and got his body behind it but such was its velocity that It came off him, and there, following up, was Corey Stacey reading its flight to run in and calmly plant the ball into the net to give the Rams the lead.

The breakthrough was the trigger for a period of sustained home dominance. The feel-good factor is returning, and the next half hour was as good as anything seen at the Riverside in the last decade with a catalogue of chances created.

The hard-working midfield started to purr, with Dave Lynch, Stacey and Richie Baker, the latter of whom looking as though he’s never really been away. A series of chances followed. Hayhurst shot over, Luke Sephton, outstanding all afternoon, appearing everywhere.

Harvey Whyte joined in with a clever bending effort towards the far post, which was clawed away, and Luke Sephton had a further chance with a shot low and to the right, as the Rams turned on the style.

The only surprise was that it was only one nil at to half time as the Rams Total Football began reaching new heights.

The home fans didn’t need any cause for concern as in the opening seconds of the second half it was Luke Sephton’s turn to burst down the left and into the box to shoot hard against the keeper who got in the way but couldn’t hold it. It was déjà vu as Corey Stacey read the script and able to run in and place the ball into the goal right in front of the Rams fans

Two goals to the good and a demonstration of how devastating the Rams can be. Wilkes has taken the core of the team from last year and added grist and youth to turn them into a formidable outfit this season. The team continued dominating possession with the hard-working midfield creating a near continuous stream of chances. The reaction from the terraces was equally palpable with the Rams faithful able to give vent to their repertoire, with repeated renditions of this season’s ‘in the summertime’ anthem.

Pilkington fashioned a rare break on 60 minutes where near-spectator, Brad Rose, had to be alert to force a corner, but that was about it, as the Rams continue to steam forwards.

Tom Hoyle slalomed into the box after 53 minutes, but the follow up was blocked. After 67 minutes, another Sephton effort was fired in and the shot spilled.

Oumar Camara made an appearance and allowed Sephton to drop back into a more familiar advanced midfield role, but offered no respite to Pilkington, as it only allowed his trademark surges forwards.

In the closing minutes Raj Uppal showed a considerable turn of pace down the left to cut back a dangerous low cross into the box, which was met on the run and crashed goalwards by Luke Sephton. Unfortunately, it came down off the underside of the bar to deny the wonder goal his performance merited.

The game finished two nil to the Rams but in truth it could have been many more. As at Glossop a couple of weeks ago, the score line only tells part of the story.

The emphatic nature of this result was worthy of a team four points clear at the top of the table with the crowd realising just how good a team manager Steve Wilkes is forging in this most enjoyable of seasons and demonstrated once more as the team ran over to receive their acclaim from the delighted fans at the final whistle.

“A really professional performance from the lads ,” said Wilkes.

“Once again my only disappointment is we haven’t scored more goals, but that’s just me.

“Really pleased for young Corey (Stacey) who’s been excellent since he’s arrived. He’s a young lad who’s going to have a decent future at Ramsbottom.

“Focus now turns to the Macron Cup on Tuesday.”

Ramsbottom United: Rose, Radcliffe(Ogunby 89mins), Hayhurst(Khan 72mins), Baker, S,Sephton, Walder, Lynch, Stacey(McWilliams 80mins), Hoyle(Uppal 82mins), Whyte(Camara 68mins), L.Sephton