RAMSBOTTOM UNITED...3, EVENWOOD TOWN...0

FA Cup Preliminary Round: THIS season's tilt at FA Cup glory was ushered in with a convincing win over Northern League outfit, Evenwood Town, struggling in the lower reaches of the Northern League Division Two writes Christopher Boothman

Victory has set up a lucrative tie in the next round against Unibond outfit Colwyn Bay.

Manager Derek Egan once again made changes with Lee Buggie and Matt Edgington replacing Chris Mackay and Kyle Ingham.

Both sides started well and it was the visitors who gained the early initiative with the Rams struggling to get their passing game into play.

Credit must be given to Evenwood who set out their game plan to dismantle any flowing moves the Rams attempted to play, and for the majority of the first half this was successful.

However, the Newcastle-based side had their goalkeeper, Mark Bell, to thank for keeping the score line goalless when both Michael Saunders and Adam Cook spurned good chances.

But the best chance of the opening exchanges fell to Evenwood's Darren Tate, fortunately for the Rams his snapshot from inside the area was dragged wide of the target.

This let-off inspired the home side to push forward in search of the opener and Saunders was unlucky to see his delicate lob soar wide of the upright with Bell in no man's land.

On 36 minutes Cook again found space on the left wing and his low drive flew marginally wide of the post.

Goalless at the break the Rams made an almost instant impact at the beginning of the second half.

Edgington was given the ball on the right and his inviting cross was met by Buggie who made no mistake from eight yards, powering his header beyond the motionless Bell.

Saunders, along with Edgington and Cook were becoming key figures for the Rams, their trickery and pace causing Evenwood all sorts of problems.

Adam Kozlowski almost doubled the lead on 64 minutes when his strike with the outside of his boot was expertly saved by Bell.

The Rams then introduced both Chris Mackay and Matt Henry and this combination enabled the home side to extend their lead on 78 minutes.

A deep corner from Mackay found Henry whose header despatched the ball powerfully into the corner of the net.

Evenwood were totally outplayed throughout the second half and their only chance fell moments after the Rams had doubled their lead when a looping header hit the crossbar twice but bounced away to safety.

On 85 minutes a long clearance from the back appeared to be easily dealt with by Bell, but an awkward bounce saw the ball loop over the head of the stranded keeper and Saunders sneaked in behind the defence and slotted the ball into the empty net to seal an impressive victory for the Rams.

RAMSBOTTOM: Dryden, Raywood, Brooks, Kozlowski, Robertson, Blackley, Edgington, Morley, Saunders, Buggie, Cook. Subs: Skarratt, Mackay (for Cook), Fletcher (for Blackley), Henry (for Buggie), Lynch.

NWCFL First Division

P W D L F A PTS

Fleetwood Town... 5 4 1 0 14 2 13

Bacup Borough... 5 4 1 0 9 0 13

Trafford... 5 4 0 1 13 6 12

Squires Gate... 6 3 2 1 12 9 11

St Helens Town... 5 3 1 1 9 3 10

Skelmersdale United... 4 3 1 0 9 4 10

Maine Road... 5 3 0 2 10 6 9

Newcastle Town... 5 2 3 0 10 7 9

RAMSBOTTOM UTD... 5 2 2 1 10 8 8

Stone Dominoes... 5 2 1 2 9 7 7

Atherton LR... 6 2 1 3 10 11 7

Formby... 6 1 3 2 11 15 6

Atherton Collieries... 6 2 0 4 10 16 6

Alsager Town... 4 1 2 1 4 4 5

Great Harwood Town... 6 1 2 3 8 12 5

Colne... 4 1 1 2 3 4 4

Nantwich Town... 4 1 1 2 5 7 4

Congleton Town... 5 1 1 3 6 10 4

Curzon Ashton... 5 1 1 3 4 9 4

Glossop North End... 6 1 1 4 6 12 4

Abbey Hey... 5 1 0 4 2 15 3

Salford City... 5 0 1 4 5 12 1