THE first derby match of the season went with the form book as Ramsbottom United comfortably won 3-0 at home to Radcliffe FC on Bank Holiday Monday.

Luke Thompson put the Rams ahead in the first half before a second from Sam Heathcote shortly after the break and a late Ben Richardson effort rounded off an emphatic win.

Both clubs started the Evo-Stik North campaign aiming for promotion, but after four matches it seems only one of them is heading in the right direction.

While Mark Fell’s unbeaten Rams moved up to third place in the table, Boro are third bottom, still searching for their first points.

Their only victory came in the Emirates FA Cup, with a first-round qualifying tie at Evo-Stik Premier side Shaw Lane on Saturday offering a chance for manager Joe Gibbons and his men to re-group.

For Fell, the league matches cannot come fast enough, with the club bringing forward their home game against Glossop to this Saturday after defeat in the FA Cup preliminary round left them with a spare weekend.

“Barring the opening 10 minutes, when we struggled to settle, I thought we dominated,” said Fell.

“I’ve banged on about us being more effective at set plays for a while and it was nice to see some of the stuff we’ve worked on come to fruition.

“We spent the majority of the second period camped in their half and perhaps we need to be more clinical, but let’s not be greedy, it’s three valuable points and a very satisfactory start for us in the league.”

Radcliffe started brightly, with Franny Barry having two early chances, one just wide of the post and a second that looked to be heading towards the top corner before Ramsbottom keeper Danny Tanerner produced a flying save to tip it behind.

From there on in the Rams controlled the game.

Heathcote’s shot clipped the bar on 12 minutes before Jerome Wright had a shot cleared off the line.

Rammy eventually scored from a corner, much to the delight of their manager, with Thompson planting a free header into the roof of the net on 21 minutes.

Heathcote produced an almost carbon copy for the Rams second goal two minutes after the break, putting another free header in the top corner.

Fell freshened up his attack with the introduction of Richardson and Tolani Omotola midway through the second half.

Omotola duly rattled the crossbar with a shot on 75 minutes before Richardson settled the encounter with the decisive third goal five minutes from time, tucking home Wright’s cross.