In the penultimate game of the season on Easter Monday, Ramsbottom United needed a win to keep up the chase for a Evo-Stik Division One North play-off spot. Jordan Hulme thought he had given the visitors the lead in the fifth minute, only to see his goal chalked off for offside.

Gradually, however, the home side began to assert themselves, and the Rams were finding it difficult to put their usual passing game together.

A testing free-kick from the left saw the Ammies’ Warren Gaskin miss the target by inches with his header, before the visitors should have claimed the lead on 14 minutes. A short back-pass was picked up by Phil Dean, but as stand-in keeper Chris Collins-Reed blocked the winger’s effort, Lee Gaskell, following up, saw his attempt hacked off the line.

Stuart Cook headed another free-kick over for the home side before they took the lead in a freakish manner on 18 minutes. Playing the ball across the back line, it fell to Rams full-back Owen Roberts. He attempted to smash the ball upfield, but only succeeded in striking the back of Chris Williams, who looked on in disbelief as it flew back over the head of Rams’ keeper Martin Fearon, and in under the bar.

Hulme was denied another goal by the offside flag, but Salford were looking dangerous. Fearon had to dive to his right to palm away a blistering drive from Williams, and was then relieved to see an angled shot from Tom Fieldhouse fly past the far post. Jamie Rother fired over from a half-clearance as the home side looked to double the lead.

Hulme should have levelled the scores on 42 minutes when he beat the offside trap, rounded the keeper, but couldn’t direct his effort in. Seconds later, however, the scores were level. The referee adjudged that Lee Gaskell had been upended in the box, and the striker dusted himself down before hammering home the penalty.

The Rams took the game to the Ammies in the second half.

Steve Howson headed a good chance wide from close range, before the keeper gratefully tipped a Dominic Smalley cross away for a corner.

Salford were reduced to occasional breakaways and although Robinson did have the ball in the net, the linesman’s flag denied him.

Ramsbottom’s winning goal finally arrived on 87 minutes as Gaskell rose highest to nod home from a Lee Pugh long throw.

On Saturday, the Rams beat fellow promotion rivals Warrington Town 3-2 at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium with goals from Owen Roberts, Lee Gaskell and Scott Burton.