PADIHAM reached the Vodkat League Challenge Cup third round with a battling 2-home win over Premier Division Ramsbottom.

Padiham keeper Sean Davis, who won the First Division goalkeeper of the month award for October, was forced into action to deny both Chris Smithies and Josh Hill.

But the Storks responded with a spectacular 30-yard lob from Paul Barrett that just cleared the crossbar before they opened the scoring on 14 minutes.

Ramsbottom have a poor record against teams from the First Division and a well-worked one-two between Paul Fildes and Barrett ended with Fildes slipping the ball under visiting keeper Damian Ross.

Minutes later, the same player created another good chance, but Ross smothered the effort.

The visitors came close to an equaliser on 35 minutes but Smithies fired in an effort from an acute angle that went inches wide.

Davis then pulled off a wonder save to keep out a close-range header from the same man after good work from Andy Sensale on the right.

From the resultant corner, the ball settled in the back of the net only for the referee to chalk the effort off for a foul on the custodian.

After the break, Sensale went close with a glancing header that was well held by Davis, while at the other end, Smith was denied by Ross, and was inches wide moments later with an angled drive.

Padiham defender Jack Overson then made an important block to keep out Hill’s goal-bound effort.

But the visitors drew level on 75 minutes when substitute Jon Stephenson rose highest to meet Craig Buckley’s free kick cross from the left and planted a firm header into the net.

Within three minutes, Padiham were back in front, though, when the lively Barrett rose to head home a free kick from Tom Bardsley for what proved to be the winning goal.

In a frantic effort to salvage something from the game, keeper Ross twice went upfield as the Rams pressed for an equaliser, but the closest he came was a shot that veered just wide.

Padiham will now host Atherton LR in the third round, with all ties to be played on Saturday, January 24.

Padiham are in action on Wednesday when they take on Unibond Premier Divison side Kendal Town at the Arbories in the LFA Co-operative Challenge Cup, kick-off 7.45pm, whle Ramsbottom travel to Daisy Hill on the same evening.