Ramsbottom United 0-1 Euxton Villa

The Rams lose their first home league game of the season and waste an opportunity to gain ground on leaders Wythenshawe.

Following a waterlogged abandonment away at West Didsbury on Saturday and with other results seeming to go in Ramsbottom’s favour, an opportunity to return to the Riverside Stadium and home support against a team they comfortably beat on their own patch earlier in the season.

On paper Rams fielded an attacking side with Jacob Holland-Wilkinson on twenty-five goals, Matt Dudley over twenty and Luke Sephton also in deadly form. Football, as Brian Clough observed, is played on grass and not paper – and Euxton Villa chose not to play by the rules.

The pattern of play – or rather lack of it – was evident right from the outset as Rams resorted to series of lumped forward balls which bounced around leaving nothing for the forwards to feed on and easily dealt with by grateful centre-halves.

The visitors, playing in vivid orange and black, offered little but couldn’t believe their luck as the Rams dollied up the ball to them.

Sensing an opportunity, they grew into the game. Macauley Wilson the last man back was seeing a lot of the ball as Rams were confined to a useful corner – one of which clipped the bar- and a couple of flashing half chances which never troubled ‘keeper William Kitchen.

An indicator of danger came when a quickly taken Rams free kick was intercepted and led to a break and then a prolonged siege by the visitors.

Half time came with no score and the crowd wondering that the second half couldn’t be as bad as the first and even a scrappy and narrow win keeping pressure on promotion rivals.

Euxton had other ideas though and kept their shape and battled as the Rams, through Walder and especially Hayhurst, tried to make things happen but without real conviction.

On the hour a casual pass from the back was intercepted by striker Jordan Bentham. He raced on unchallenged – before slipping the ball under the advancing Brad Rose for a gift of a goal and one which the visitors celebrated to a man.

Rams huffed and puffed but it was only really with the introduction of substitutes that the home side started to get the ball and play anything like their usual fluid football, with Whittingham and the assured Finlay Wallbank trying to make things happen on the deck.

Euxton remained a threat and nearly doubled the lead with a breakaway and a flashing cross shot just eluded the far post. Rams responded with a powerful effort from Richie Baker which just cleared the bar as the game became less congested.

The clock ticked onwards and a Dudley header from a corner hit the crossbar and the Rams had a half-hearted appeal for a penalty, but it increasingly felt as if they’d played another ninety minutes and they still would not score.

Not for the first time this season Rams struggled against organised team content to sit back and absorb pressure. When the Rams own passing game is set aside, their plan B – a dire watch – appears based on hit and hope long balls as home fans saw for much of the evening. Full credit to Euxton on what must have been a difficult encounter, but they stuck to their plan and prevailed.

Any calculations about results elsewhere or trying to reel in the twelve-point gap that champions elect Wythenshawe opened, became academic as Rams failed to do their bit.

The unbeaten home league record comes to an end with the prospect of another attempt at the playoffs a likely proposition. They must lift themselves with an important game against perennial and potential rivals Padiham at home on Saturday.