RAMSBOTTOM UTD 0 SALFORD CITY 1

North West Counties League Division One AS so often happens in football, a rousing five or six goal victory can be followed by a morale sapping defeat just days later.

This is exactly what has happened to Ramsbottom Utd on Tuesday night.

Rams should have headed into this clash against league leaders Salford full of confidence and with an unchanged squad from Saturday.

But Mike Kelly's best laid plans had taken a knock even before a ball was kicked, with three enforced changes to the squad that progressed through the FA Cup qualifying round so easily.

On a chilly evening, a sparse crowd witnessed a keenly contested battle which was high on determination, but low on quality and imagination.

Rams were unlucky not to score on eight minutes, when Steve Brennan's low cross to the near post was nearly diverted into the net by a defender. City keeper Phil Melville was alert though and plucked the ball away from danger.

The game sprung into life after 23 minutes when Salford were awarded a penalty. The visitors Phil Taylor struck a goalbound shot that struck Phil Porter on the arm on the goal line. No doubts about the decision, but Porter received no card when a red appeared the obvious choice.

And Rams made it a double escape, Marginson's spot-kick hitting the bar and looping to safety. The best chance of the half in open play fell to City's Matty Hislop, as a miskick by Neil Wallace sent him scurrying through, but his well struck shot went narrowly over with Neild well beaten.

Salford began to take control in the second half, with Matty Hislop using his pace and trickery to cause problems for the Rams back line

The only goal of the game came 11 minutes after the interval, and in calamitous circumstances for Neild.

He let his composure on the ball get the better of him, and he dwelled too long before smashing the ball straight at City's Keith Evans, who gratefully seized onto the rebound, rounded the stranded keeper and slotted into the empty net. 1-0 to Salford and unfortunately, Rams just couldn't fight back.

Neild went some way towards making up for his gaffe by pulling off a great save to deny Maginson's low shot from 18 yards and deep in injury time, after Salford had hit the bar again, Rams almost equalised when substitute Neil Rhodes sent Danny Goodhall scampering clean through, but Goodhall lost his nerve at the vital moment and shot tamely at the grateful keeper.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Neild 6, Porter 7, Langhorn 6, Bryce 6, Wallace 7, Brennan 7, Anderson 6, Brierley 6, Yorke-Robinson 6, Goodhall 6. Attendance: 132

Rams have the chance to make amends on Saturday when they entertain Maine Road at the Riverside, kick off 3pm.