RAMSBOTTOM United sit just a point outside the relegation zone after 10 matches in Evo-Stik First Division North following a fourth straight away defeat.

But management duo Mark Fell and Paul Fildes will have been buoyed by their side's performance, if not the result, after they battled hard before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat at Glossop North End on Saturday.

The Rams fell behind to a goal in each half from Jamie Rainford and Max Leonard before a deflected shot from Alex Meaney gave them a lifeline and Glossop were hanging on at the final whistle.

New signing George Mannion combined effectively with Matty Atherton down the left in the opening stages and together they fashioned a number of openings and half decent crosses but there was no-one on the end of them.

Glossop were offering little threat until a simple long ball from the centre circle sent Rainford clear. He neatly put Rammy keeper Ashley Shenton on his backside and calmly shot home from just inside the box.

The nearest the Rams came to scoring before half time was when Paul Linwood at full stretch could not get quite enough control to a half volley, which went over.

Five minutes into the second half the Rams found themselves sucked into the ball to give the Glossop left-back all the time and space he needed to overlap and send in a low cross which Leonard slotted in to double the lead.

Rams were reeling but they regrouped and averted what could have been a crushing defeat.

Within 10 minutes they reduced the arrears after Meaney's angled shot from out wide was deflected in.

A comeback and point was on the cards, but as time went on the Rams attacks became narrower and more frenetic.

Matt Cooper in the Glossop goal was solid in gathering a couple of testing crosses but was otherwise untested in the closing minutes, although the home side were still relieved to hear the full-time whistle.