Saturday saw Unsworth make the trip up the M66 to play Ramsbottom United. Ramsbottom are the only team in the league other than Unsworth to have taken a point off Higher Blackley so we know that we would have to up for the game as we expected a tough test.

The question that Danny and John had to consider was how would the lads cope with having suffered the first loss of the season. Could they pick themselves up from the disappointment of last week or would they be suffering from a hangover (not literally of course)?

Friday night saw a full 16 in the squad but a text from Alex Healy and then a phone call from Kain early on Saturday saw the team lose our two left foot defenders. A bit of rethinking was called for but it should work out as we knew we could call upon the talents of utility man Dom, but how would he cope at left back?.

Fresh from his strop of last week we saw Ethan make a welcome comeback and before kick off not only did he apologise to his team mates for last weeks antics but the rest of the lads also said sorry for upsetting him. Hopefully that is all now water under the bridge and the lads could concentrate on the game in hand.

The back four looked OK with Dom slotting into left back, Rob and Oliver in the middle and Luke on the right. Liam would have started but his watch (or his Mums) seemed to have broken (meet at 9.00am not 20 past) so a place on the bench awaited and therefore Mason and Jake took the middle with Dec on the left and Elliot on the right. Up front saw Joe partner Khol with Tom and Charlie keeping Liam company on the side.

Ramsbottom kicked off on a small pitch and there was everything to play for. Unsworth looked a little wary and the possibility of back to back defeats was playing on the minds of a few, but the boys settled quickly and we looked much more of a footballing unit than last weeks efforts.

Ramsottom have a few useful looking players but Unsworth held the advantage and from the early minutes we looked like we wanted to play football and that is exactly what we did.

The great news was that more of us were fighting for the ball than last week. Domonic looked like a natural left back and even though he is one of the smallest in the team he was winning everything on the ground and in the air, fearless is the word to best describe Dom. The ball was being passed around and we were soon ripping the home team to pieces, but the frustration was building as time and again the opportunities being created weren’t being converted. It looked like the poor finishing of the previous weeks could be costly again and as the half continued it looked like we needed a break. We soon got this as a marauding Unsworth attack ended with the Ramsbottom defender taking a hack at the Unswoth striker and with a sharp blow of the whistle the Ref quite rightly pointed to the spot. Mr Cool as you like, Elliot stepped up to place the ball into the home net making it 1-0 to the visitors. This seemed to settle us down and we stepped up a further gear and took the game by the scruff of the neck.

In the first 15 minutes the pressure resulted in nothing for the visitors but the remaining 15 minutes saw a flurry of goals. Khol had been replaced with Tom and a not long after his introduction we saw a fine toe bung (not the greatest finish you will ever see by the way ) to make it 2 nil. Unsworth we now in full flow and this resulted in more goals with both Elliot and Tom adding to their tally before half time.

Halftime was a relaxed affair but Danny and John wanted more. Dom had led the way with his passion and effort and we needed more like this and to be fair most were not far behind him but it needs everyone to give 100% every week.

The second half saw Ethan have virtually nothing to do as Unsworth continued their dominance. More goals were being added and not long into the half Tom had joined Elliot in the hat trick club. 6-0 and still more to come with Liam finishing a nicely worked effort and Charlie also added one making it 8-0. Normal service had been resumed and last weeks disappointment was forgotten. With minutes to go Khol broke down the left as he made his way further into the Ramsbottom box the defender stuck out a leg and Khol was taken out. Never will you see such a blatant penalty and the Ref yet again blow up and pointed to the spot. The second penalty of the game and on this occasion Ethan was summoned from the other end. One goalie against another, who would win? Unfortunately for Ethan it was the home keeper as a fairly tame effort was hit down the middle. “Leg it” was the shout as Ethan turned on his heels and sprinted back to his own goal. Fortunately this miss didn’t result in the home team getting a consolation goal and as the Ref blow for full time Unsworth savoured only their second clean sheet in the league this season.

Next Saturday sees Unsworth return to cup action as we make the trip to Rochdale to take on Copperpot. Copperpot have won the Premier league in the last couple of years but they have not had a great season so far so this is a big test for both teams. Once I have the details I will let you know kick off and venue but see you at training on Tuesday.