Ramsbottom Utd 1 - Leek CSOB 1

RAMSBOTTOM'S league title challenge is beginning to fade after taking just two points from the last nine.

The heavy pitch and incesssant rain made constructive football impossible and, with bottom club Leek battling for survival, Ramsbottom faced a very difficult game.

On 15 minutes the Rams had a great chance to go in front when Russell Brierley set up Danny Goodall, but Leek keeper Rob Hackney got down to turn the ball away for a corner kick.

At the other end, Phil Porter cleared the danger as Neil Robinson's shot looked to be creeping into the bottom corner of the United goal.

Steve Orrell made a surging run and with the Leek defence backpedalling, his pass found Brierley, who in turn played the ball to Goodall and the midfielder was unfortunate to see his first time shot go a yard outside the far post.

The Staffordshire side put up stubborn resistance and the first half ended goalless.

Five minutes into the second period the Rams had a goal disallowed when Orrell's header found the net, but Brierley was adjudged to have fouled a Leek defender. The visitors put a couple of attacks together and Keith Nield had to be on his toes, diving to save from the onrushing Lee Fower.

On 58 minutes Leek took the lead when the ball stuck in the mud and Fower shot past Nield.

A goal behind, Ramsbottom struggled to find a way past the Leek defence, but with the game approaching it's final ten minutes, Ramsbottom salvaged a point when Darren Bowman's driven free-kick saw Barry White get in a glancing header that flew off a Leek defender into the roof of the net.

In spite of some late pressure from Ramsbottom, Leek hung on to take a valuable point as they strive to stay in Division One.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Nield 7, Morris 6, Wallace 7, Thomas 7, Porter 7, Goodall 7, D Bowman 7, Brookes 7, Orrell 7, Brierley 7, Cameron 7. Substitutes: White (for Brookes 46 mins) 6, Roach (for Morris, 80 mins). Not used: J Bowman.

Tomorrow Ramsbottom are away to Woodley Sports and on Tuesday the Rams travel to Atherton Collieries. Kidsgrove visit the Riverside next Thursday (kick-off 7.45pm).