Shoot-out woe as Fell’s men exit Cup

INTEGRO LEAGUE CUP FIRST ROUND RAMSBOTTOM ................ 1 CLITHEROE ...................... 1 JON HASLAM RAMSBOTTOM United’s Integro Cup campaign started and ended on a blustery evening at the Riverside against Clitheroe, when their fate was decided by a penalty shoot-out which went the way of the visitors.

Clitheroe started the brightest with a couple of long range attempts that flew high over Sam Ashton’s goal in the opening minutes of the contest.

The Rams fashioned their first goalscoring opportunity with just over ten minutes played when an excellent through ball from Ben Deegan found Phil Dean in the right hand channel but the wide man’s shot failed to extend Terry in the visitors goal.

Clitheroe responded and almost broke the deadlock when a mix up in the home defence gave Cannon-Noren a glimpse of goal but young defender Alex Downes on loan from Chester made a vital clearance off the line in his first start since the second game of the season.

Minutes after the restart Sloane found himself one on one with Ashton but the Rams stopper pulled off a fine save to deny Clitheroe the lead.

Ramsbottom United then responded with a strike of their own when good link up play on the left hand edge of the penalty area gave Jerome Wright a sight of goal but the effort was repelled by Terry.

The Rams fell behind in peculiar circumstances when an attack down the right wing gave substitute Recizak the opportunity to cross to an unmarked Cannon-Noren in the centre of goal. He proceeded to trip over the ball which wrong-footed Ashton and somehow the ball found its way into the net to give the visitors the lead just before the hour mark.

Shortly after the opener the Rams made two substitutions with new recruit Tom Eckersley replacing skipper Dean Stott and Lee Gaskell joining the action at the expense of Deegan.

Clitheroe looked to clinch the tie with a second goal with Ashton again forced into action pulling off a fine save to deny the away side after an incisive break down the Rams’ left hand side.

With the game entering the final ten minutes an ever increasingly desperate Ramsbottom United created a number of opportunities to equalise with Tom Brooks, Jack Higgs, Wright and Gaskell all shooting at goal without success.

As the contest ticked into injury time and with two of the five minutes indicated already played the Rams won a free kick almost in front of the home dugout. Higgs swung his left foot to send the ball towards the Clitheroe penalty area and with a touch of assistance from the wind the ball sailed over the head of Terry and dropped into the back of the net to level matters.

There was still time remaining for the away side to fashion another presentable chance moments after the equaliser when another penetrating break again brought the best of Ashton as he produced an excellent double save to keep the score at one goal each and with no extra time the tie would be decided by a contest from 12 yards.

Clitheroe took an early advantage as they scored with their first kick. Higgs had his effort saved by Terry, the next three spot kicks for each side were converted with Wright, Brown and Dean confidently registering for the hosts before Clitheroe’s substitute Onorou had the chance to win the match but Ashton responded to keep the contest in the balance.

With nine penalties taken it was down to Lee Gaskell to take the spot kick competition into sudden death and he duly obliged – 4-4 after five penalties from each team.

With the result still in the balance Clitheroe scored their next two spot kicks with the Rams responding with Tom Kennedy and keeper Ashton converting to level the score at six each.

Snowden then smashed in his attempt leaving popular defender Luke Thompson to take the next penalty for the home side, unfortunately the effort flew over the crossbar and the away side progressed.