Ramsbottom United made the trip over to Merseyside to the spartan surroundings of the Litherland Sports Centre where a meagre crowd, made up mostly of travelling Rams fans, witnessed a near perfect display in a 4-0 win which confirmed the side’s position at the top of the table, writes Tony Cunningham.

From minute one, the visitors were in total control, with the only slight disappointment being that they only notched four goals against a team that looked well beaten at the final whistle.

A sign of things to come arrived within the very first minute when Tom Hoyle was denied at close range by the Remyca keeper.

The game turned into a one-sided onslaught, with Harvey Whyte and Hoyle again, going close, before Andy Teague saw a close range header cleared off the line, all within the first ten minutes.

A Whyte free-kick sailed into the arms of the custodian before the home side’s only real chance of the first half saw James Hammill fire high and wide from the edge of the box.

Further efforts on the home goal came from Teague and Whyte again, before two headers from Oumar Camara and Luke Sephton sailed wide of the post.

So, it was no surprise when the visitors finally opened the scoring after 38 minutes (the only surprise being the time it took), as, following a determined piece of control by the by-line by Whyte saw him slip the ball across goal for Luke Sephton to tap home with the help of a deflection on the line.

Sephton, who was to end the game with the match-ball, nodded one over the bar, but as the referee was preparing to blow the half-time whistle, a long throw-in from Hayhurst saw defender Oscar Radcliffe ghost in behind the home defence to slide the ball home from ten yards, and double the lead as the teams trooped off.

Camara was close to adding to the score-line minutes after the break when he just failed to convert another long throw, before Hoyle found himself with space in the box but failed to find the target.

The game was being played almost exclusively in the Remyca half as the Rams looked more than comfortable, controlling the game, with debut boy Corey Stacey looking a great acquisition in the middle of the park.

Raj Uppal replaced Camara, and almost scored with his first touch of the ball, and the striker again had the opportunity to add to the tally, but put his shot wide when it looked easier to score.

On 79 minutes, the inevitable third came, as the ball broke quickly to Luke Sephton who raced into the area before confidently hammering the ball past the beleaguered Pat McLoughlin in the home goal.

With the game won by that point, the only two chances created in the second half by the home side, really should have seen the deficit reduced, but on both occasions, with only the under-worked Brad Rose, in the Rams goal, to beat, both efforts were poked wide of the target.

Normal play was soon resumed, and the final goal arrived five minutes into time added on, when some determined play from substitute Izac Khan ended with Sephton claiming his third and the Rams fourth with an acute angled drive, to round off a convincing and totally deserved performance, and a 4-0 score-line that barely did the Rams justice.

Coach Scott Campbell was delighted:”Glad that one is out of the way and another three points on the board.

“Litherland is always a difficult place to come to. I thought the lads were excellent from start to finish, especially Corey Stacey on his debut.

“The squad was professional from the minute we turned up at the ground and I think that showed in our performance. Brad Rose had one of his quieter games and that’s credit to the ten in front of him, and I’m sure he would have been glad of that with him keeping us in matches in recent weeks.

“We had a few tough decisions to make with the squad but the attitude of the lads who didn’t make the sixteen was fantastic, lads like Henri (Ogunby) to travel, take part in the warm-up and do extra running and David Lynch to come over and support the lads after being ruled out late in the week.

“Lastly from the management team and all the players, we would like to thank all the travelling fans who were in great voice today and look forward to seeing them all at Glossop next week.”

Ramsbottom United: Rose, Radcliffe, Hayhurst, Teague, S.Sephton, Walder, Stacey (Tinker 83mins), L.Sephton, Camara(Uppal 66mins), Whyte(McWilliams 80mins), Hoyle(Khan 88mins). Sub not used: Meadowcroft