A FREAK goal was enough to send Ramsbottom spinning to defeat on Saturday.

With the game seemingly heading for a goalless draw, a harmless looking backpass struck a divot. As the ball slowed down, Ashton’s Sherlock pounced to flick the ball past a bewildered Damian Ross in the home goal, then gleefully tapped it home into an empty net, with 15 minutes remaining.

It was unfortunate for the Rams, who had deserved at least a point out of an uncompromising contest, which saw six of the visitors booked in a game that, at times, looked like getting out of control.

It was the home side who had the upper hand in the early stages. Andy Sensale had a close range effort deflected for a corner in the fifth minute. Craig Buckley saw a speculative 20 yard drive clear the bar, before defender Andy Dawson, brother of Radcliffe Borough starlet Craig, forayed upfield and had a couple of efforts at the visiting goal.

Ramsbottom had a good call for a penalty after 25 minutes as Sensale was bundled over in the box, but the referee waved aside the protests.

The visitors came more into the game as the half wore on with Bozonet forcing a save out of Ross, and Evans fired just wide from 25 yards.

A volley from Jon Stevenson was inches away from being deflected in by Sensale, but then the home side had a lucky escape when Sherlock’s drive rebounded back off a post for Bozonnet to convert. Fortunately the linesman’s flag indicated he was offside.

As the half-time whistle was about to blow, Buckley fired a free-kick inches wide.

The second half continued in a similar vein, with Stevenson and Buckley attempting to break the deadlock, before it was broken in bizarre fashion.

Sherlock went close to doubling the visitor’s lead when he deflected a left-wing cross inches wide of the far post, but it was to prove a frustrating afternoon for the home side as few real chances were created, and they fell to their fifth defeat in the last six matches.

Ramsbottom were in Lancashire Trophy action against Daisy Hill last night and visit Nelson on Saturday.