Luke makes his
EVO-STIK LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION WEST RAMSBOTTOM UTD ....... 2 MARKET DRAYTON ....... 1 DAMIEN BARLOW
THE Rams kicked off the 2018-2019 season by welcoming Market Drayton Town to the Riverside, for what would be the first-ever meeting between the sides.
The home side lined up with a 4-1-4-1 formation, and five debutants featuring in the starting line-up, and a sixth on the bench.
The first half belonged to Ramsbottom in what was a dominant display with a continued attack on the final third.
The tone was set early on when a mis-placed pass was picked up by Ben Deegan who quickly found Chester-loanee Nathan Brown. He dropped his shoulder to lose his man and get a shot away which was parried by the Drayton keeper, unfortunately Deegan could only push his follow up wide of the post.
Soon after, Brown showed good feet to work a cross into the box which caused problems. Both Jamie Rother and Deegan had attempts blocked, and Market Drayton finally cleared their lines.
Ramsbottom were getting a lot of joy down both flanks, both Brown and Luke Jordan threatening. It was Brown again who crafted the next chance as he wriggled free from his two close minders and freed Jack Higgs in the box only for his shot to end up behind the goal.
Rob Henry, with what was the pass of the game, picked out Nathan Brown with a 50 yard ball and he controlled instantly and lost his man again, moving menacingly into the area before striking a shot-cum-cross which just passed the far post to the relief of the visiting keeper.
On the half hour the corner count was increased again, as Higgs sent an inswinger to the far post where Ryan Ellison met it with intent and sent it back into the sixyard box, where it eventually broke to the impressive Brown who’s shot against the bar deserved better luck.
The visitors’ clean sheet had been hanging on for dear life almost from the first whistle, and on 31 minutes it finally succumbed to the relentless onslaught.
Once again the outlet down the left paid dividends, and while Brown needed two attempts to get the ball across, the latter effort was met with the head of the free Higgs who sent the delivery nestling into the net.
The home side were playing with a swagger now and moved the ball with ease with options a plenty for whoever had the ball.
This time it was Rother who carried the ball forward, with screams from the advancing Jordan ringing in his ears, he waited for his moment to release the ball sending it into Jordan’s path. He cut inside his man and picked out Higgs on the edge of the area who lost his man with a feign and got his shot away, but again, just wide of the mark.
With the Rams seemingly on top, the visitors delivered a sucker punch when a ball forward somehow eluded Phil Dean, allowing Will Wells a rare shot at Ashton, and while he did his best to fluff his lines, his scuffed effort found the gambling Charlie Knowles who rolled the ball into the unguarded net.
The scoring was finished for the first half, and as the referee brought it to a close, both teams left the pitch wondering how exactly the score was level.
After the break, Luke Jordan again broke down the right and sent his ball towards the penalty spot only for it to bounce off the covering defender and ●● Ryan Ellison nods clear with goal-scoring debutant Jack Higgs looking on into the keeper’s grasp, and much to the disbelief of the visitors, the official deemed it intentional and awarded an indirect free kick.
As the home side tried to conjure up a plan from