Rovers give their high-flying hosts Rammy a fright (From The Bolton News)

Rovers give their high-flying hosts Rammy a fright

6:00am Monday 1st February 2010 in

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FOOTBALL: Atherton LR returned to competitive action for the first time since December 14 with a 3-2 defeat at high-flying Ramsbottom United.

One of only eight Vodkat NW Counties League fixtures to be played on a weekend when frozen pitches forced another spate of postponements, the Premier Division clash attracted a crowd of 249 — the biggest gate at the Riverside Ground for three years.

And although the home side banked three points to return to second in the table behind runaway leaders Newcastle Town, Dave Hughes’s Rovers gave a spirited performance, twice coming from behind and earning a deserve tribute from Rams co-manager Bernard Morley.

“Atherton had a go at us and they are a completely different side from the team we beat 4-0 in October,” a relieved Morley said.

Ramsbottom dominated the early exchanges and took a deserved lead on 19 minutes through veteran striker Barry Massey.

But the pacy Ashford Blake equalised on the half hour and LR finished the first half strongly.

Eddie O’Neill restored the Rams lead two minutes after the break but Rovers refused to roll over and were back on terms when Bradley Cooke equalised on 67 minutes.

The in-form Riversiders hit the woodwork twice and were denied by LR keeper Martin Pearson before Carl Lomax hit the winner 11 minutes from time.

First Division side Daisy Hill, whose home game against Eccleshall was frozen off, will hope for an improvement in conditions at New Sirs for tomorrow night’s Vodkat League Challenge Cup third round tie against Premier Division outfit New Mills.

Atherton Collieries’ hopes of building on the previous week’s impressive victory over Leek CSOB were dashed when their Alder House pitch was unfit to stage their First Division fixture against Barnoldswick.