RAMSBOTTOM United got their first win of the pre-season programme, beating a young Fleetwood XI 3-2 at The Riverside.

Rammy started the livelier on Tuesday night and a trialist’s first-minute shot fizzed narrowly past the post.

But their strength was matched by the slick pace of the Cod Army, who looked the more likely to make something happen and kept the Rams’ back four on their toes.

Fleetwood went into the break a goal up, thanks to Ged Garner’s strike minutes before half time. A half-clearance fell to Garner and he hit a venomous shot from 30 yards, Sam Ashton unable to save it despite getting a hand to the ball.

The first real chance of the second half fell to Rammy’s Phil Dean who looked to have found the bottom corner but Fleetwood’s trialist goalkeeper did just enough, and was thankful no one was on hand to tap in his unconvincing stop.

As the half progressed, Ramsbottom started to pull together some nice moves, Dom Marie and the trialist wearing number eight posing the main threat to the visitors’ goal.

And, moments after a goalmouth scramble in which the ball was cleared off the line, the home side were finally rewarded for their hard work as the number eight leapt on a defensive mishap to smash the ball home.

Five minutes later Rammy almost took the lead through Marie, who finished his mazy run by sending his shot against the upright.

As the game drew to a conclusion it was the hosts who had the momentum with them and their excellent second-half performance was rewarded in the 86th minute when Marie shrugged off his markers to collect a through ball and calmly slot the ball under the goalkeeper.

Just four minutes later, the inexperience of Fleetwood told as Ryan Ellison was able to evade their attentions and doubled the lead, nodding in Harry Foulds’ curling free kick into the area.

With the final kick of the game, the Cod Army’s Sam O’Halleron hit a fine consolation from 25 yards but Mark Fell’s side had done enough for the win.

The weekend had seen Rammy beaten 3-0 at home by Blackburn Rovers’ under-23s team.

Willem Tomlinson scored the only goal of the first half, slotting in when the Rams were caught out by a quickly-taken corner.

Rovers’ second goal came midway through the second half, Lewis Hardcastle drilling in a low finish just inside the post.

Ben Paton completed the scoring with a glancing header late in the game but it had been a decent workout for Fell’s men, who showed good discipline and made Rovers work hard for their win.