REPORT | Honours Even In Final Home Game Of The Year

Conor Sellars’ first half penalty was cancelled out on the hour mark as Jerome Wright somehow found the net.

Both teams will undoubtedly feel that it was a missed opportunity to pick up three points and kick start the festive fixtures on a high.

Despite the brisk wind chill around the i2i, fans were treated to plenty of early openings.

Gregg Daniels failed to prod past Michael Ingham from close range after Phil Dean’s slice before Aiden Savory went up the other end and spurned a great chance.

The forward brilliantly anticipated and intercepted a loose back pass but after driving towards goal, he could only fire wide.

The visitors were seeing plenty of the football without creating too many opening thanks to the rigid shape and solid defending from the Brewers.

Dead ball specialist Conor Sellars then went even closer than Savory after clipping a free-kick up and over the wall only to see his effort cannon off the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken half way through the first half though when the silky skilled Josh Greening teased the defender in with a few step-overs before being taken down in the box for a penalty kick.

The ever-reliable Conor Sellars stepped up and confidently stroked into the bottom corner for his fifth of the season.

This seemed to spur Albion on somewhat as less than sixty seconds later Greening nodded down into the path of Tom Corner who rifled narrowly wide.

Ramsbottom waited patiently for their opportunity and it came five minutes from the break from a set-piece of their own.

A corner kick was met by an unmarked Sam Heathcote who’s powerful header was diverted onto the inside of the post and across the goal line by Chris Howarth before eventually clearing.

It was certainly a tight one as Rammy asked the question of ‘was it over the line?’ but the official kept his flag down.

Not to be deterred, Heathcote had another go two minutes later as it dropped to the defender at the back post but the huge figure of Michael Ingham managed to put the player off.

Taddy had the final chance of the first half as Pete Davidson, who was excelling again in midfield, was instrumental in the build-up.

His positive surge forward and clever flick released Tom Corner in down the right-hand side who again blazed across the face of goal.

Josh Greening made his feelings felt that his teammate should have opted to cross.

Into the second half and if Greening was annoyed with Corner at the end of the first half, he could only have himself to blame on this occasion as the attacker missed a great chance.

Conor Sellars’ dinked free-kick dropped kindly for Greening on the penalty spot and after manoeuvring the ball onto his favoured left foot, nine times out of ten it would end up in the back of the net.

However this was one of the rare occasions as he felt the pressure and blasted way over the bar.

The festive contest became more of an open affair in the second half with gaps starting to appear leading to both teams going for it.

Incidentally the visitors then drew level on the hour mark as Jerome Wright cut back on his left-foot and sent a shot through the legs of both Chris Howarth and Jason Mycoe and past Michael Ingham off the post.

Back came the Brewers with that man Josh Greening again involved.

Determined wing-play from Aiden Savory allowed the forward to dig out a cross to which deflected it’s way to Greening who’s volley was tipped over by Charlie Albinson.

The flow of this encounter wouldn’t have been out of place at the Staples Centre as back and forth one team attacked followed by the other.

Rammy were looking increasingly dangerous in the second half and were denied the lead on 68 minutes when Sam Heathcote’s low drive was well kept out by Michael Ingham.

The big Irish stopper was then called into action again as he got down sharply to tip Wright’s fierce hit onto the post before pouncing on the loose ball.

The endeavour was there from both sides but a blast across goal from Rams substitute Yves Zama was the only mentionable moment of the final ten minutes.

Full-Time: Taddy 1-1 Ramsbottom United

Taddy: Ingham©️, Howarth, Hunter, Roper, Mycoe, Barrett, Sellars, Davidson (Pugh 78), Corner, Savory (Baker 73), Greening

Subs unused: Hardy, Milne, Stewart

Ramsbottom: Albinson, Heathcote, Brownhill, Stott©️, Thompson, Mohammed, Dean, Moran (Meaney 62), Gaskell (Zama 84), Daniels, Wright

Subs unused: Rother, M. Williams, T. Williams

Att: 234