Victory offers hope of speedy return to NPL
RAMSBOTTOM UTD ....... 2 1874 NORTHWICH .......... 1
TWO goals from Rochdale AFC loanee Jordan Scanlon proved enough for Ramsbottom United to finallt hand manager David Chadwick a victory at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium.
After a long, 14-week wait for three points this victory tasted sweet for the Rams, even if it came days after their relegation from the Northern Premier League was confirmed with defeat at Colne.
Northwich started the game the better of the two sides and they were close to opening the scoring just four minutes in when Nyle Ellis saw his effort whistle narrowly over the bar.
Ramsbottom weren’t going to just lie down though and they hit back pretty swiftly with a chance of their own when Jordan Southworth broke down the right hand side and played through Scanlon but the visitors were quick to close down the young midfielder and the chance went begging.
The Greens continued to ask questions of the Rams defence in the early knockings of the game but the Rammy back line seemed to have all the right answers.
On 31 minutes Northwich had their best chance of the half when Josh Askew played a back pass to Tom Wooster. The young goalkeeper miskicked the ball and it fell into the path of Callum Gardner six yards from goal.
However, to the astonishment of everybody in the ground he somehow managed to miss the gaping goal and hit the crossbar.
Just a few moments later the hosts managed to find the breakthrough when Scanlon danced through a number of bodies inside the 18-yard box to allow himself space to smash home from close range to claim his second goal in three days.
Ramsbottom went into the break with a one goal lead and knew they’d have to dig deep if they were to secure all three points from the game. 1874 started the second 45 well and Nyle Ellis had another fabulous opportunity to get his side a goal when he was through one on one with the goalkeeper but somehow full back Henri Ogunby managed to recover and nick the ball from right under his nose.
The away side continued to push on and they made the breakthrough on 60 minutes when Jack Marrow found some space at the back post to nod home a corner kick. This goal seemed to provoke the home team and they returned to creating chances of their own.
Then on 81 minutes the magic man Jordan Scanlon managed to get his and his teams second of the evening.
Wooster started the attack with a quick kick out which found wide man Billy Hasler-Cregg,
the winger slipped through Scanlon who added the finishing touches with a sprinkle of class away to the goalkeepers left.
Rammy saw the game out in a professional manner, something that they have struggled with on so
many occasions this year but they ran out deserved winners.
The Rams next match is another home game against high-flyers Leek Town – the boys know it will be tough but they’ll be eager to keep this momentum going.