Four goals shared with neighbours
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
RADCLIFFE BORO ...... 2 RAMSBOTTOM UTD ... 2
ADAM CLARK
THE Rams continued their pre-season campaign on Saturday with a trip to nearneighbours Radcliffe FC.
Both sides still in the early stages of pre-season and many trialists were on show once again.
The Rammy keeper was called into action within the first minute and produced a good diving save to deny Radcliffe an early goal.
Radcliffe opened the scoring on 13 minutes, the referee pointed to the spot after Luke Thompson fouled and Andy Owens converted the penalty to the keepers right.
Just a minute later, the Rams were up at the other end and had a penalty shout of their own but the referee wasn’t interested and played on.
Within five minutes of the Radcliffe opener, Boro’s keeper Cameron Belford was picking the ball out of his net after a great strike from the trialist wearing 11 for Ramsbottom, drew them level.
And just four minutes later the Rams were ahead after the trialist wearing 10 struck a beautiful free-kick from just outside of the box that hit the underside of the bar on the way in.
Radcliffe had a chance of their own a deep free-kick found their centre-back, Jack Shiels. His headed flick found their scorer Owens, but his strong header was well saved by the Rams trialist goalkeeper.
The hosts drew level
●● with four minutes remaining in the first half, A Matty Crothers crossed the free-kick for Radcliffe, the ball ricocheted around the box off various players and ended up in the back of the net.
Both sides made changes at half time, Mason Fawns was introduced along with three trialists while Richie Baker, Luke Thompson and two trialists came off.
Radcliffe had a chance in the opening minutes of the second half, Raheem Hanley made his way into the box but his shot was blocked well by the Rammy keeper.
Just before the hour mark, a dangerous header from Ben Hampson was just wide of the Boro right-hand post.
Chris Willcock made some more changes on the hour mark, Trialist 17 came onto replace of the goal scorers Trialist 11.
A superb sliding goal-line save by Rammy’s No 4 denied a what looked like a certain Radcliffe goal to keep the score at 2 apiece
That was Trialist 4’s last bit of action as he was replaced by Luke Thompson.
Mason Fawns had a chance on 68 minutes, his powerful shot went just wide.
Into the final 15 minutes and a welltaken freekick for Radcliffe on the edge of the box is stopped well by the Rammy keeper.
The last chance of the game came for the Rams as the Trialist wearing 16 took a shot but it was well over the bar.
And 2-2 was how it finished after a very competitive game.