Rams rue lost chance

PAUL CROPPER RAMSBOTTOM............... 2 BURSCOUGH....................2 WHILE a share of the spoils might overall reflect a fair outcome, the Rams will have come away questioning how they failed to turn a firsthalf performance of aggressive, effective and entertaining football into a comfortable victory.

Fired into action by an early Burscough goal from Lewis McNally after their right flank was sliced open, Rams then produced 40 minutes of pulsating and exciting football which could easily have seen them go into the break with a three or four goal advantage.

Fed by a midfield trio who were quick into the tackle around the halfway line the Rams front three of Gareth Seddon Darren Green and most notably, Jay Hart, ran riot.

It took just three minutes for the Rams to equalise, Green presenting Seddon with an easy header. After that it was all Jay Hart, whose running was as direct as it was rapid.

Midway through the half put clear by Green he raced away and neatly chipped the ball over the keeper to put the Rams in front and then was denied by the post and keeper.

Burscough adjusted by playing deeper, denying space behind them, and with the Rams losing momentum the visitors came more into the game without really threatening until Elliot Nevitt fired off a shot from the corner of the area, which flew past a startled Jack Cookson to bring matters back level.

The Rams managed to drag themselves out of their lethargy and pressed forward, but the closest they came to grabbing a winner was a deflected cross headed off the line by Robbie Bromley

For all the quality of their forward play there were lingering questions, and the defence at times can look shaky – a work in progress. ●● Bacup’s goalscorers, clockwise from top left; Luke Podmore, Bradley Haworth, Nathan Emery and Jonathan Thompson