Seventh heaven for clinical Rams

RAMSBOTTOM UTD ....... 7 MARKET DRAYTON ....... 1

NIGEL JEPSON

RAMSBOTTOM United were in scintilating form as they swept aside Market Drayton Town.

Straight out of the starting blocks, left-winger James Murphy stamped his character on the game by cheekily robbing the ball off a central defender and then calmly slotting it into the net to open the scoring after only three minutes.

On 37 minutes, a passing move between Jake Thompson and

Domaine Rouse ended with the latter netting to open up a 2-0 lead for the home team at half-time.

After the satisfying 2-1 away win at Kendal in midweek, there was plenty here today both to celebrate and also to convince Rammy supporters that new manager Lee Donafee is on the right track towards producing a team that could again challenge for the league title. At the back, defensive frailties early this season have been seemingly eradicated with the effective central defender pairing of Will Hall and ex-Bootle player Steve Hoy. As at Kendal, the duo played again on this occasion in effective tandem, one looking directly to attack the ball and the other playing laterally acting more in the role of a sweeper. As keeper, Tom Stewart also did everything expected of him on the day.

Meanwhile, Dahrius Waldron contributed immensely again in his converted role as a holding midfielder. Nonchalant-looking in the way he conducts himself, at the same time he made so many well-timed tackles that not only staunched opposition raids but also set up home attacks. It was also notable that, with the team’s central defensive spine in good order, full-backs Danny O’Brien and Captain Tom Kennedy felt greater latitude to press forward and effectively prompt attacking moves.

The second half opened much as the first had done with James Murphy scoring another goal to take it to 3-0 within three minutes of resumption of play. There then followed a short spell of complacency on the Rams’ part which the opposition took advantage of to reduce the arrears to 3-1 following a goal clawed back by Harry Morris after 57 minutes.

However, the floodgates opened with James Murphy completing a very well-earned hat-trick after 67 minutes when yet again he cut inside a defender to restore the home team’s three-goal lead to 4-1.

Subs Jamie Rainford (2) and Kayle Power (1) came on to inflict further three-goal damage.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Stewart, O’Brien, Kennedy (capt), Hoy, Hall, Cooper (Rother 68), Thompson, Abadaki (Rainford 61), Rouse, Waldron, Murphy (Power 71) Unused subs: Collinge, Collins.

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