Golden day for United
THE Evo-Stik Northern Premier League officially celebrated the golden anniversary of Ramsbottom United on Saturday during the opening game of the new season against Goole.
League Chairman, Mark Harris attended the game and at half-time made the presentation to Ramsbottom chairman Harry Williams.
Ramsbottom United was formed in 1966, playing on a park pitch in Chatterton.
By 1980, the club had relocated to a spare plot of land adjacent to the town’s centrally-located cricket club.
From playing in local Bury leagues, those 50 years have seen the club move up through the Divisions, to it’s current place in Evo-Stik Division One North, with a fine stadium bearing the name of the man who has been at the helm throughout those 50 years – chairman Harry Williams.
Williams was delighted to receive the award as both recognition of his tremendous service and also celebrating 50 years of football in the town.
A warm round of applause was received upon the presentation at half-time on the pitch with the chairman proclaiming: “Here’s to the next 50 years!” EVO-STIK NPL DIVISION ONE NORTH RAMSBOTTOM ................ 3 GOOLE ............................... 1 TONY CUNNINGHAM
THE new-look Ramsbottom United kicked off the new season by finally banishing the blues that had surrounded the club over the last 18 months.
A comfortable victory over Goole on the opening day of the season augurs well for the campaign. The result was never in doubt once one of the few remaining players from last year, Nia Bayunu, thumped home a tenth minute header from Alex Meaney’s corner.
The Ramsbottom fans had turned up with much hope after the wholesale changes that had taken place throughout the summer, and their optimism was not out of place.
Despite ten debutants taking to the field, these players gelled together and looked much more of a team than had been seen at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium during the last campaign.
Returnee Darren Green had a superb game, culminating in two goals and a man-of-the-match performance.
However, he was not alone in providing a healthy crowd of 245 (up on last year’s average) with plenty to smile about.
There appeared not to be a weak link in the whole squad, which confirms just how much work new joint-managers Paul Fildes and Mark Fell have put in, along with their coaching staff, to assemble the newlook outfit.
Once Bayunu had struck, the Rams gave an assured performance to comfortably gain their first three points of the new season.
Although Goole created a couple of chances, it was Green who doubled the advantage on 31 minutes. Some neat play from the left wing, then through the middle from Jay Hart and Gareth Seddon, saw the ball fed to Green on the right hand side of the penalty area, and he swivelled before crashing the ball past Dan Morton in the visitor’s goal.
Hart then saw his effort, late in the half, hacked away from the line as the first half ended with an appreciative round of applause from the home support.
The second half saw less urgency from the home side, but still Goole could not get a foothold in the game.
Meaney was inches over from the edge of the box, whilst substitute Jake Cliff, on for the injured Nat Taylor, must be wondering how he screwed the ball wide from ten yards, having been set up by the impressive Josh Dunroe.
At the other end, Chris Cheetham did well to finger- tip the ball on to the bar during a rare Goole raid on the home goal, but Green went close on a couple of occasions to adding to his tally, whilst Seddon was agonisingly millimetres away from converting a dangerous leftwing free- kick.
On 82 minutes, Goole finally found the net, when Cheetham could not gather the ball cleanly, and Sam Robinson was able to turn and poke it home from close range.
Any thoughts of an unlikely comeback were soon extinguished, however, for just two minutes later, Green raced on to a high through ball, and as his marker stumbled, he calmly advanced before firing low past Morton to restore the two goal cushion.
Morton made amends in the last minute when he held on to a shot from Green which could have earned him a deserved hat-trick.
The 3-1 scoreline, though, proved to be a comfortable final score and the three points were thoroughly deserved by a team that it seems hard to believe were playing their first competitive game together.
On Saturday the Rams are in FA Cup Preliminary Round action against Sheffield FC at home, 3pm kick off.
If a replay is required, it will be played on Tuesday 23rd August at 7.45 in Dronfield.
Due to Ramsbottom Cricket Club’s first team being at home on Saturday, limited parking will be available at the ground, so fans are asked to park away from the ground for this match. ●● Ramsbottom United 2016/17: Back row (L-R) Matt Booth (Physio), Elliott Burke (Analyst), Zack Hargreaves, Luke Thompson, Matt Atherton, Paul Linwood, Darren Green, Chris Cheetham, Jake Cliff, Dean Stott, Lee Botham, Nai Bayunu, Tom Coulson, Andy Harrison (Coach), John Hughes (Coach) Front Row (L-R) Sam Dickinson, Sam Freakes, Alex Meaney, Nat Taylor, Paul Fildes (Jt-Manager), Gareth Seddon, Mark Fell (Jt-manager), Jay Hart, Josh Dunroe, Olly Crankshaw, Tom Hartley