Cheadle Town 1 Ramsbottom United 1

MANAGER Ken Bridge rang the changes at Park Road last night but it still failed to bring United's first victory of the season.

New signings Scott Fairhurst and Neil Wallace slotted in comfortably at the back while veteran keeper Mike Kelly and striker Andy Clarke replaced suspended duo Mark Bedford and Russell Brierley.

And new-look United looked far more enterprising in the early stages as Steve Orrell fired a foot over the bar they took the lead on 18 minutes.

Brendan O'Shaughnessy played the ball into the box and Clarke held off a strong challenge before steering the ball past Troy Whittle in the Cheadle goal.

The Ramsbottom defence, ably marshalled by Kelly, were rarely troubled while at the other end David Yorke-Robinson spurned two golden chances.

But Cheadle upped the tempo in the second period and with 15 minutes remaining a long throw-in was headed into the six-yard box and prolific marksman Steve Denny found the Rams' net with a header.

In the closing minutes, Cheadle survived by the skin of their teeth as Clarke's downward header was scrambled off the line and Yorke-Robinson burst into the box only to be pulled down by a defender.

The offence went unpunished, though, and to compound Ramsbottom's misfortune Yorke-Robinson then slammed a stinging drive against an upright.

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