RAMSBOTTOM UNITED...3

WOODLEY SPORTS...0

AN away trip to Bobby and Jackie Charlton's home village of Ashington in the north east was up for grabs for the winners of this FA Cup preliminary round replay.

There was only one change to the team that drew at Woodley on Saturday with Chris Clarke coming in for Luke Harrison.

The game started at a frantic pace with both sides going in search of a vital opening goal.

Ramsbottom went close as early as the sixth minute when, following a short corner from Gareth Gardiner, Greg Brickell rounded Fitzpatrick only to see his shot cleared to safety.

It was a taste of things to come for the Woodley back four who were to be put under enormous pressure all evening.

Clarke then burst into the box only to be upended but the referee waved play-on when he might just have easily awarded a spot kick.

Woodley's main threat came, as it had at the weekend, from speedy winger Simon Hackley.

Twice in quick succession he knocked dangerous balls across the face of goal which only needed a touch. Thankfully, for the Rams, the Woodley front two were half asleep!

The Rams' Iain Dyson then had a couple of long range efforts that cleared the crossbar before the visitors enjoyed their best period of pressure with both Johnson and Norton going close.

As the first half drew to a close Andy Grimshaw's side began to turn the screw again and when a Gardiner cross was met by Danny Heys his downward header looked a goal all the way until Higginbottom pulled off a top class save.

The second period began much the same as the first finished with play running from end to end.

Brickell went close for the Rams then home keeper Mark Andrews made the first of three fine stops to keep the scores level.

United finally broke the deadlock their play deserved just after the hour courtesy of a fine individual effort from Matt Swailes.

He turned Edgerton in the box before sending in an unstoppable shot into the top left hand corner.

It was no more than the Rams deserved and a great run by Dyson from out on the right nearly got them a second.

Andrews then produced the save of the night from a Woodley breakaway. Hackney sent in a shot that looked destined for the top corner but somehow Andrews managed to turn it round for a corner.

The Rams got the second after 82 minutes when Fitton played the ball into Brickell, laid it off for the impressive Dyson who smashed it past Higginbottom.

Three minutes later Brickell - who put in a fine display - grabbed a third with a superb lob from 35 yards. It was the youngster's first goal for the Rams and effectively ended the game.

The next round at Ashington will be played on Saturday, September 13.

Tomorrow it's FA Vase action for the Rams who travel to deepest Manchester to face Abbey Hey.

RAMSBOTTOM: Andrews 8, Raywood 8, Goodall 7, Bulwich 7, Walsh 7, Dyson 8, G. Gardiner 7, Clarke 7, Brickell 8, Swailes 8, Heys 7. Subs: Fitton, Brown and Boden. Not used Hardman and Morgan.