Ramsbottom United 3 Newcastle Town 0

FRANKIE VAUGHAN made his bow at the Riverside and set Ramsbottom on the way to a much-needed league victory.

Midfielder Vaughan scored the Rams' first goal and set Russell Brierley up for the second as he continued in the impressive vein of form he has shown since signing on for Ken Bridge's men.

Shorn of defender Mike Smith with a back injury and still without recuperating skipper Warren Brierley, there was also news that left back Mike Langhorn has had to undergo a second operation on his broken nose.

All of which meant that the influential Darren Bowman had to move back from his customary midfield role to fill in at right back.

Dave Roach, continuing his comeback from a troublesome groin injury, played alongside Neil Wallace at the heart of the defence, with Danny Goodall, also normally a midfield man or winger, playing at left back.

It was fairly scrappy stuff for the first 25 minutes with just two tame shots on target, one from each side.

Ramsbottom's makeshift defence was acquitting itself well though and Wallace was a real tower of strength as he blocked everything out and even found time to sortie forward and prompt the odd attack.

The Rams got their reward in the 27th minute when David Yorke-Robinson crossed low from the left and Vaughan slid in on the greasy surface to guide the ball into the net.

A simple goal superbly executed, and one the Rams just about deserved on the run of play.

Newcastle had a chance to equalise in the 36th minute, but Tony Buckle didn't connect properly with his downward header from Dave Woodvine's right wing cross and the ball went the wrong side of Keith Nield's left-hand post.

There was also a debatable penalty decision that went against the visitors, although the Newcastle players hardly raised the roof with their appeals and Ramsbottom survived to go in holding that slender lead at half-time.

It didn't take them too long to add to their tally in the second half. This time Vaughan turned provider as he crossed from the right and Russell Brierley went to connect with the ball as he fell to the ground.

The ball may well have taken a deflection off a Newcastle defender, but it ended up in the back of the net and Ramsbottom were on their way.

The lively Dean Cunningham-Wilson -- Ramsbottom aren't the only non-league team who can boast players' with double-barrelled names -- chased a diagonal ball out to the right in the 64th minute.

His smart cross back across goal was a real killer, but Justin O'Reilly failed to provide the finishing touch on the far post.

Russ Brierley began to look a bit more like his old self when he cracked in a good, low shot from the edge of the penalty box in the 72nd minute, but saw it go just past the left-hand post.

Manager Bridge threw on substitutes Chris Brookes and Wayne Briddon for Mark Heyes and stand-in skipper Andy Grimshaw a minute later.

But it was Nield in the Ramsbottom goal who was the centre of attention for the next few minutes as he turned away two fine shots from Cunningham-Wilson.

Brookes soon stole the limelight when he cut into the box from the right on a powerful solo run in the 81st minute and finished in style with a crisp, low diagonal shot into the far corner.

A fine way to wrap up the win Ramsbottom had been crying out for as they look to get back on track in the league.

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED: Nield 7; Bowman 7, WALLACE 9*, Roach 7, Goodall 7; Vaughan 7, Grimshaw 7, Cameron 7, Yorke-Robinson 7; R Brierley 6, Heyes 6. Substitutes: Brookes (for Heyes, 73 mins), Briddon (for Grimshaw, 73). Not used: G Gardiner. Referee: Mr Mark Bailey (Rishton).

Ramsbottom are at home again tomorrow when they entertain Bradford-outfit Thackley in an FA Vase clash (kick-off 3pm).