Ramsbottom winger Kuda Chingwaro became the first player in more than 20 years to score four times in one game for the club on Saturday, helping his die to a big victory on home soil in the North West Counties League Premier Division against Pilkington.

The last Rams player to net four in open play was Russell Brierley against Flixton in February 2003 and, in truth, Chingwaro could have added to his quadruple at the weekend.

As early as the 10th minute, he found space in the box but his effort clipped the top of the bar.

Seven minutes later another attempt cleared the bar, but his endeavour finally paid off in the 35th minute when, at the end of an excellent move, the ball fell at his feet, and he delightfully dinked it over the prostrate body of the Pilkington keeper to open the scoring.

He really should have added another before the half-time break when an unselfish Henri Ogunby presented him with an ideal opportunity but he wildly hammered high and wide instead of taking his time to pick his spot.

The second half began with the hosts on the front foot, with the Pilkington stopper being in the right place to keep out a Harvey Whyte free-kick.

But on 51 minutes, Chingwaro found himself in space in front of goal to convert a left-wing cross that had been nodded on by Matt Dudley to give the Rams a two-goal lead.

As has happened on a number of occasions, a defensive lapse enabled the visitors to half the advantage within three minutes, when a low drive was parried by young keeper, Harry Moss allowing Callum Laird to sneak in and score from close range.

This time, though, the Rams fought back and within six minutes had regained the two-goal advantage after a superb flowing move.

Whyte raced down the right, before slipping the ball in to Dudley, whose deft flick sent in Chingwaro to slam the ball home for his and the team’s third.

On 69 minutes, he once again had an ideal opportunity to net his fourth as the visiting keeper failed to gather a high cross, but with the ball falling kindly, the goalscoring hero was unable to convert thanks to some desperate defending.

From the resulting corner, though, the forward made amends as he again found himself in the right place to fire home from 10 yards out to give the Rams a 4-1 advantage.

However, the goal of the game was still to come, and this time from a different, and unexpected source.

Left-back Maine Walder found himself on the right, and as the ball fell to him, 35 yards out, he hammered home an unstoppable volley that had the Pilkington keeper beaten all ends up.

It was a win that will inject much confidence into the team as they attempt to climb the table into the play-off places.

Ramsbottom coach Scott Campbell was delighted with the performance and said: “There are no easy games but it has been a robust and difficult start to the season in as much as we have been playing twice a week, but the lads have responded really well to this week’s training. We’ve been able to get some new ideas and principles in place and the lads have reaped the rewards today.”