NEWCASTLE BENFIELD SAINTS...1

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round

THE Rams continued their explosive start to the season with another hard-fought cup win.

Following a gutsy performance on Tyneside, which earned them this replay, the Rams ensured a home tie against Consett by impressively seeing off their high-flying counterparts.

Two changes were made to the starting line-up with Bernard Morley returning from suspension and Kyle

Ingham replacing Shaun Spence in the centre of defence.

The Rams began brightly, stamping their authority on the tie when as early as the fourth minute they almost grabbed the lead with a stunning 25-yard thunderbolt from Morley, but it crashed against the crossbar.

Saints emerged from their shell on 11 minutes when a looping cross rebounded off the upright, sparking them into a period of pressure.

On 23 minutes a rising drive from Richard Kent was expertly tipped around the post by Andrews only for the resulting corner to make him reproduce another important save from a low shot.

After surviving a few nervous moments the Rams produced a trademark slick passing move involving Morley and Cook, allowing Liam Denning to make space and fire a stinging shot that Grainger was unable to deal with and fullback Chris Skarratt was in the right place at the right time to knock home the loose ball for his first goal of the season and a 1-0 half-time lead.

The Rams knew the Saints would come out strongly for the second half and after conceding an early goal in the previous match, the defence stood strong in the opening five minutes with Ingham and Bill Robertson keeping the lively Anthony Woodhouse at bay.

Throughout the second period the Newcastle outfit probed down both flanks, testing the resilience of the defending and although they created a number of good chances the experience and expertise of Andrews foiled any danger coming his way.

However, neither the defence nor goalkeeper could do anything about the equaliser on the hour mark. Kozlowski's tackle resulted in a penalty that Woodhouse despatched beyond Andrews.

Unperturbed, on 62 minutes the Rams fired a warning to their opponents when Denning struck a fierce free kick that Grainger nervously parried over the bar.

Both Chris Mackay and Keiron Fletcher were introduced but it was the determined run of Kozlowski on 78 minutes that brought the winning goal.

He was halted by a late tackle and Liam 'Who needs David Beckham' Denning stepped up to curl a wonderful shot beyond Grainger to restore the lead.

After leaving the field just before the goal, Kozlowski was forced to return, despite clearly being injured as the maximum three changes had already being used.

The hosts played out the remaining 12 minutes with a few anxious moments but in the end came out on top of a match that over the two encounters could realistically have gone either way.

The Rams now face another Northern League side, Consett, in the next round

This latest victory took the Rams' impressive run to 13 league and cup games unbeaten, and with Southport visiting the Riverside on Saturday in the FA Cup the Rams will fancy their chances of causing a huge upset.

RAMSBOTTOM: Andrews, Raywood, Skarratt, Kozlowski, Robertson, Ingham, Edgington, Denning, Purcell, Morley, Cook. Subs: Morris (for Purcell), Mackay (for Edgington), Fletcher (for Cook), Brooks, Dryden.