Tuesday August 15th \\\ NWCFL Premier Division \\\ Matchday 4

Ramsbottom United 2
Chingwaro 26
Whyte 38
West Didsbury & Chorlton 2
Davis 66
Billingsley 86

Attendance: 295

Ramsbottom United
1 Marshall, 2 Collinge, 3 Walder, 4 Walker, 5 Forbes, 6 Radcliffe (c), 7 Gallagher (17 Roscoe 70), 8 Jenkins (14 Jackson 78), 9 Dudley, 10 Whyte, 11 Chingwaro (12 Lockett 83).

West Didsbury & Chorlton
 1 A.Jones, 2 Cook (c), 3 Graham (17 Gabidon HT), 4 Delaney (14 Taylor 70), 5 Smyth, 6 Foulds, 7 Hellawell (12 Hampson 85), 8 McKnight, 9 Grimshaw (15 Billingsley 61), 10 Davis, 11 Eme (16 Elliott HT).

A classic game of two halves left both sides feeling relieved to come away with a point and at once disappointed not to have taken more.

West starting line-up saw three changes to the side that despatched Burscough at the weekend, with Liam Delaney, Rhain Hellawell and Zeke Eme coming in for Tom Schofield, Lewis Billingsley and Billy Matthews.

Schofield and Matthews missed out altogether while Billingsley took his place on the bench alongside Laurence Taylor and the returning trio of Ben Hampson, Dontai Gabidon and Ben Elliott.

Both teams, meeting in the league first time, started with energy, looking to make an early breakthrough. The Rams' first attempt came inside the first minute, Jenkins slicing a shot wide. 

It didn't take long for the referee's involvement to be required as Davis clashed with Walker in the Rams half but the situation was managed well by Mr Ross and his cards stayed in his pocket.

A dozen minutes in, West came within a ball's width of taking the lead. Grimshaw got to a through ball ahead of Forbes and almost threaded his shot between the goalframe and Marshall in the Rams goal but instead saw his effort cannon to safety off the foot of the post.
 

Both sides looked to continue to grow into the game but a key moment at the midpoint of the half put a stop to West's first half aspirations.

A ball over the top released Dudley, who controlled the ball on the run and took it past the last defender, Foulds. The ensuing tangle of legs left both players grounded and West's #6 in danger of an early departure. Mr Ross took a minute to clear the commotion before making his decision. Possibly Dudley's last touch taking him away from goal meant the card shown was yellow and not red.

Any relief at the numerical parity was shortlived, as Whyte rolled the free-kick to CHINGWARO who arrowed his shot through the broken wall attempting to close down and low beyond the grasp of AJ in the West goal.

West were deflated and tried in vein to get a grip of the game, losing the run of the ball and second in all areas to a Rams' side buzzing from taking the lead.

Delaney, making his first start of the season, won the ball in midfield ahead of Jenkins whose challenge upended West's #4, earning himself the second booking of the game.

West's endeavours didn't bear fruit and they soon found themselves two behind. Another free-kick in West's right-hand half-space, this time WHYTE shooting directly with power and bend. The ball found the top corner, AJ given no chance. It was a stunning effort in more ways than one, a goal to be appreciated that left the men in navy and pink stupefied and in need of half-time. 

Thankfully we reached the interval with the deficit two. It was an unusual half, neither keeper much involved but, Grimshaw's early shot aside, West had not begun to trouble the scorers.

West made a double substitution at the break, introducing Dontai Gabidon and Ben Elliott on for Callum Graham and Zeke Eme, enforcing a change of shape to an unorthodox 3-5-2.

The second half was instantly a contest, the Rams smelling blood and searching for a third to decide the contest, while West knew for sure there was still a game on and points to be won.

Within ten minutes of the restart, a trio of close calls had come and gone. Firstly, Cook did fantastically well to block Chingwaro with the goal at his mercy, before a loose ball fell to Delaney at the other end but he couldn't avoid lifting his attempt over. 

Superb play from Gabidon down the left created the best chance of the three. Pirouetting away from two Ramsbottom defenders and into a crossing position, the whipped centre somehow found a path between Grimshaw at the front post, the onrushing Marshall in the Rams' goal, and also Hellawell coming in at the back post. 
 

It was a totally different game and West's threat was now tangible.

Just after the hour, Lewis Billingsley replaced Grimshaw as West looked to stretch the game further. The ball had took up residence, in particular, on the right-side of Ramsbottom's defensive third. West creating overloads and the Rams responding by doubling up.
 

A penalty appeal came for West on 63 minutes as Davis went down in the box. It wasn't convincing shout but there appeared to be some afters, Davis left in a heap after a coming together with Walker off-the-ball. Again the restart was messy, with both captains called over for dialogue followed by a scrappy drop-ball where neither team seemed to be aware that such scenarios should now be played out uncontested. Eventually the ball was returned to West and the next attack could be built.

Indeed it was from that next attack that a breakthrough was found, Hellawell's low cross finding DAVIS ten yards out, who flashed a shot beyond Marshall.

West made another change on 70, Laurence Taylor coming off the bench to make his 50th West appearance, replacing Delaney who had reached his own personal landmark of 100 in the previous game.

The Rams weren't settling for what they had, but Whyte's shot over the bar on 73 minutes was their last threat of any substance. 

Soon after, Markell Foulds came close to an equaliser but Marshall gathered at the second attempt, no matter how sweaty his palms or weak his knees.

However on 86 minutes perhaps his arms were heavy, as the Rams keeper failed to deal with Cook's deep cross and BILLINGSLEY smashed the ball through the crowd from a tight angle and collected the ball from the net himself, West eager to keep going and complete the turnaround.
 

By now, Ben Hampson had entered the field to join Taylor in West's 50 club, relieving Hellawell who had worked hard down West's right. Hampson was deployed as a centre-forward as West were causing chaos in attack, sensing a winning goal.

However with the scores now level, play slowed down. West, keen for a winner all the same, now had something to lose, while Ramsbottom were eager to not throw the game away entirely.

Within the seven minutes of added time, though, West came close to nicking it. McKnight wriggled in the Rams' box and with hardly any backlift powered a shot towards Marshall's bottom corner, but the ball thumped off the full face of the post and was cleared.

The final whistle brought the breathless second half to a close. Two points dropped or a point gained? Both sides no doubt felt it was a bit of both.

Listen to Chris Adams' post-match thoughts here, sponsored by Steve Eckersley.

Your Burton Road Brewing Co Supporter of the Match was Jane and her Player of the Match was Markell Foulds.

Full match gallery by Si Cook and Chris Michell available here.


NWCFL Premier Division classified results
Tuesday 15th August 2023
Barnoldswick Town 4-4 Kendal Town
Burscough 0-2 Charnock Richard
Cheadle Town 0-3 Chadderton
Colne 4-0 Squires Gate
Irlam 1-1 Lower Breck
Padiham 1-2 Bury
Prestwich Heys 2-5 Wythenshawe
Ramsbottom United 2-2 West Didsbury & Chorlton
Wythenshawe Town 1-0 AFC Liverpool
Wednesday 16th August 2023
Glossop North End 0-4 FC Isle of Man
Litherland REMYCA 3-1 Skelmersdale United
Pilkington 3-0 Longridge Town