RAMSBOTTOM United's fine recent form came to a shuddering halt with a 7-0 defeat at home to second-placed Farsley Celtic on Tuesday night.

Mark Fell's men went into the match having won four of their previous five games, keeping four clean sheets in the process.

Their most recent victory came at Tadcaster Albion on Saturday, when returning hero Lee Gaskell scored the only goal of the game with just over 10 minutes remaining.

That kept the momentum going after what was considered a blip at the end of February, when Clitheroe spoiled a run of three wins and three clean sheets after edging a 4-3 thriller.

It was hoped that the defending that led to that loss was a thing of the past after Rammy returned to their stingy ways against Tadcaster in an otherwise uninspiring performance.

Gaskell ensured that they left North Yorkshire with the requisite three points after converting a penalty to reopen his Rammy account.

Martin Fearon had very little to do in goal, comfortably saving Tadcaster's only shot on target in a afternoon that both sides resorted to long ball tactics as they battled away in difficult conditions.

Heavy rain again hampered the players on Tuesday night, but that can hardly be blamed for the Rams' capitulation, which began when Lewis Nightingale opened the scoring in the 19th minute.

The goals continued to rain in with alarming regularity, three in the first half and four in the second, with both Nightingale and James Walshaw bagging hat-tricks, while Richard Marshall was also on target for the visitors.

Rammy had harboured hopes of a place in the Evo-Stik Division One North play-offs, and still remain in 10th, just six points outside the top five.

But they will have to bounce back quickly at fellow promotion hopefuls Brighouse Town on Saturday if they are to keep those dream alive.