RAMSBOTTOM UTD...3 BARROW...2: A FINISH that Ruud Van Nistelrooy would have been proud of created another upset in East Lancashire as the Rams dumped Barrow out of the Marsden Trophy.

Accrington Stanley made the headlines just up the road on Sunday as they saw off Third Division Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup, but Mark Fitton's superb extra time strike was another effort that had the headline writers spinning out the superlatives.

His smart run down the left flank and beautifully flighted shot into the far, top corner of Simon Bishop's goal was a real gem.

UniBond Premier Barrow will consider themselves unlucky to bow out of this competition at the first hurdle to North West Counties Division One side Rams after an entertaining encounter that ebbed and flowed from end to end.

The visitors were the first to come up with one of them. Ace striker Gavin Knight sticking out a leg to force the ball into the net after a free-kick was played in from the left in the ninth minute.

The small, but receptive crowd only had to wait another ten minutes for Ramsbottom to reply.

Midfield man Gareth Gardiner, one of their more industrious players on the night, converting from the spot after Steve Gill tangled with Rams' Chris Clark.

That's how it stayed right up to half-time - then there was an explosive beginning to the second half of the night's proceedings.

Virtually straight from the kick-off Ramsbottom moved the ball down the left and Gardiner was there to grab his second from 12 yards out.

Gill came up with the perfect answer to that three minutes later when he smashed the ball into the back of the Ramsbottom net low and hard after the outstanding Mike Rankine had whipped in a dangerous cross from the left.

The Rams might have had a penalty in the 64th minute when Sean Singh looked to be holding onto Gardiner just inside the penalty area.

Meanwhile, Steve Ridley was desperately unlucky not to settle the tie eight minutes from the end of normal time when he forced Rams' keeper Mark Molyneaux into two fine saves within the space of a few seconds.

Bishop denied Gardiner with a great block a minute later then Rams' defender Jordan Rispen had Barrow rueing their luck in the 90th minute when he cleared efforts from Scott Brough and then Ridley.

It was that sort of game, but no-one could have foreseen the strike that Fitton came up with just 11 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Bishop denied Gardiner again in the 99th minute, but Rankine had his head in his hands 11 minutes later when he smacked a low drive against the right-hand post as Barrow strove desperately for another equaliser.

It wasn't to be and the game ended on a sour note as Singh was lucky to escape with a yellow card after allegedly punching Gardiner from behind and Molyneaux was similarly punished for his continued remonstrations over the incident.

The game should not be remembered for that though. A cracking contest won by a spectacular strike.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Molyneaux 7, Raywood 6, Stewart 6, Bulwich 6, Rispen 7, Hardman 6, Gardiner 8, Smith 6, Clark 6, Swailes 6, Brown 7. Substitutes: Fitton (for Swailes 84 mins) 7, Heys (for Smith 76 mins) 6. Not used: Walsh.