Call-offs can help to ease injury list
RUGBY UNION MATT GREGORY ROSSENDALE chairman Nicholas Ingham believes recent match postponements will make for a tough end to the season – but also that it’s helped the team to get over a number of injury concerns.
The club’s 24-17 win away to Kendal at the weekend was their first match since defeating Sandal on the 2nd December and while Ingham was pleased with the victory, he suggested that his side’s performance had been rusty.
“We were a little bit stale. The forwards dominated the game and we made 15 opportunities but we only scored four, while they made four chances and scored two.
“The good thing is that we’ve had a lot of players with injuries and niggles and they’ve been able to recover.”
Rossendale now sit seventh in the Northern Division but have two games in hand over most of the teams above them thanks to the delayed games – but this means that they will have a much busier fixture list towards the end of the season.
Ingham said: “It’s going to be a tough run across Easter and right up to the end of the season. If we finish in the top five, I’ll be happy.” ●● Jerome Wright sets up another attack RAMSBOTTOM UTD ....... 1 SKELMERSDALE ............. 1 JON HASLAM
TWO out-of-form sides battled it out on a sunny but cold afternoon at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium as Ramsbottom United hosted a struggling Skelmersdale side in the hosts’ first home fixture in five weeks.
The Rams showed two changes from the New Year’s Day defeat at Radcliffe with Liam Brownhill returning and Alex Meaney in the starting eleven after his goal in the previous match in place of Yves Zama and Dean Stott.
It was the Rams that began the contest positively as they looked to continue their impressive home form with Greg Daniels and Jerome Wright linking up effectively in the early part of the game.
Both sides exchanged long distance shots in the opening ten minutes as Meaney fired over for the home outfit before Molyneux and Mahoney responded for Skelmersdale.
As the first half wore on Ramsbottom United began to gain the upper hand and perhaps the best opportunity arrived for the home side midway through the first period when a corner found its way to Lee Gaskell who superbly executed an overhead kick which beat the visitors keeper only to hit the crossbar before being cleared to safety.
The momentum was with the home team as minutes later a surging run and pass from Sam Heathcote gave Gaskell a chance to open the scoring but the strikers first time shot from inside the box narrowly missed the target.
With the match still goalless the Rams continued to press forward looking for the reward that their pressure deserved as Jerome Wright and Phil Dean continued to threaten down the flanks as the hosts got behind the visitors rearguard on numerous occasions without tangible success.
As the half time whistle approached Skelmersdale were on the back foot as the Rams domination turned into a reward when a superb ball from Daniels fed Wright whose cross was finished with aplomb by Lee Gaskell to register his first goal since returning to the Riverside just prior to Christmas.
The interval arrived with Ramsbottom United deservedly a goal to the good and hopes were high that the late advantage would be a catalyst for a similar performance in the second period.
The opening minutes of the second half began quietly with little goalmouth action to report but Skelmersdale looked to press forward searching for an equaliser as the home side struggled to regain their attacking fluency they had shown during the first half.
As the hour mark was reached Wright looked to extend the home sides lead when his vicious shot ruffled the side netting, moments later Eddie Moran replaced the hard working Jamie Rother in the Rams midfield.
Skelmersdale then replied with a couple of substitutions of their own as they sought parity but despite their improved performance the visitors hadn’t troubled Rams stopper Charlie Albinson.
With the clock showing 15 minutes remaining the home side substituted goalscorer Gaskell with Zama but shortly afterwards Rams goalkeeper Albinson sustained a hand injury and was unable to continue, with no ●● Greg Daniels tangles for the ball with a Skelmersdale opponent during Saturday’s game sub goalkeeper on the bench it was midfielder Dean Stott that had to don the gloves for the remainder of the game.
As the home side looked to see the game out their slender lead was almost