Sean on form in time trial
CYCLING DEREK SCHOFIELD ON Tuesday evening, Rossendale Road Club opened the summer’s time trialling season with the first round of the Harry Law evening 10 mile series at Hapton.
There was a welcome return to racing for club member Sean Greenwood, who was the leading local rider on the night, finishing in a time of 26:42 min, but even Greenwood couldn’t match North Lancs rider Jude Law, who took the overall win in a very quick time of 24:14.
Andy Horner of Bury Clarion was third, with RRC members Roy Flanagan and Luke Dabbs filling fourth and fifth places.
The series continues on Tuesday evening throughout the summer, starting at 7pm with sign on from 6.30pm at the Hapton Inn. Club membership is not required and all are welcome to ‘come and try’ time trialling, with categories for Ladies and standard road bikes. ●● .Luke Thompson climbing for the ball watched by Sam Madeley, left, and Tom Brooks EVO-STIK FIRST DIVISION NORTH GLOSSOP NORTH END .. 1 RAMSBOTTOM ................ 3 JON HASLAM
RA M S B O T TOM United completed their league campaign on Saturday afternoon with a short trip to Glossop showing just one alteration to the team that narrowly lost at Atherton less than 48 hours earlier with Phil Dean returning in place of Regan Jarrett.
It was the hosts that made the ideal start to the contest with just two minutes played when the Rams lost possession in midfield before an incisive through ball split the visitors defence line and found ex Bury striker Andy Bishop in a one on one situation with Sam Ashton and the strikers composed finish gave Glossop an early lead.
The Rams reacted positively to the setback and created a couple of presentable opportunities with Sam Madeley heading wide from a Jerome Wright free kick before Wright himself burst into the left hand channel before firing a shot just wide of the target.
The away side then had the perfect chance to equalise when Greg Daniels was upended in the penalty box and the referee pointed to the spot, after converting three spot kicks in the last three matches Daniels took the responsibility but Saunders palmed away the well struck attempt.
Despite trailing it was the visitors that continued to create more goal scoring chances with Tom Brooks and Madeley having efforts that wouldn’t force Saunders into action.
Glossop who had ex Rams players Roscoe and Richardson in their starting eleven almost doubled their lead with almost half an hour played when Meppen-Walter sent Lacy surging towards goal but the strikers shot was com- fortably saved by Ashton.
With the half time break not far away the home side created a similar chance to the one that had given them the lead but this time Turner’s shot was saved by the excellent Ashton.
Sadly injury would curtail Harry Foulds’ afternoon minutes before the interval when the young full back made way for Lee Gaskell with the versatile skipper Dean Stott reverting to right full back.
During the half time break another replacement had to be made when the referee reported that he had sustained an injury and a plea was made over the PA system for a replacement assistant referee and thankfully a volunteer was called into action to run the line for the second period.
The second 45 minutes began with the away side on the front foot and the Rams grabbed a deserved equaliser when after a corner was cleared the ball fell to Dean whose short pass to Wright gave the wide man the chance to run into the penalty area evading two challenges before sending a low right footed shot into the corner of the net.
With the added confidence of the goal Ramsbottom United continued to look an attacking threat and almost took the lead when a free kick was flicked on by Gaskell and the ball fell to Ryan Ellison in front of goal but the defender’s shot flew over the crossbar.
Then with ten minutes of the second half played the Rams edged in front when a well worked move down the left resulted in a clever flick from Gaskell which set Jerome Wright on a powerful run to the byline before pulling the ball back to Sam Madeley whose confident first time left foot finish found the corner of the net to give the forward his third goal in two games.
The encounter contin- ●● The Rams celebrate ending the season on a high at Glossop North End on Saturday ued with both sides looking to finish their respective seasons with a win which made for a very watchable match with chances continuing to be created, firstly Madeley sent a free kick from 25