RAMSBOTTOM came out on top in a seven-goal thriller as they edged into joint second in the Vodkat League Premier Division.

The home side deservedly ran up a 4-1 advantage before two late goals had the home supporters’ nerves in shreds.

The home side held out for the points they deserved.

Padiham started well and had a penalty appeal turned down in the sixth minute, then had the ball in the net a minute later, only to see it chalked off for offside.

Rammy took the lead when a clearance was picked up by Eddie O’Neill, who ran through to the edge of the box before blasting home an unstoppable effort.

Moments later it could have been two. Andy Sensale fed Joel Pilkington and his effort was saved by the outstretched legs of the visiting keeper.

It was end-to-end football, and moments later Damien Rooney pulled off a point blank save to deny Morris before Padiham finally broke through.

A long ball from the right was met by the unmarked McKenzie with the home side appealing for offside. He had the easy task of nodding the ball home from close range.

O’Neill and Bernard Morley had chances to regain the lead before O’Neill did so on the stroke of half-time. He ran on to a ball lobbed over the visiting defence, and slotted the ball past the advancing keeper and into the net despite a despairing lunge from a defender.

Connell thought he had increased the lead in the 48th minute when his free-kick hit the inside of the post before being cleared.

Connell got on the end of an O’Neill cross from the right to head home the Rams’ third after 60 minutes.

It was 4-1 10 minutes later when Bernard Morley was at the back of the penalty area as a cross came in and eluded everyone.

Morley fired in a shot which took a deflection on its way into the Padiham net.

The visitors then made a triple substitution, and the gamble almost paid off.

After 76 minutes, McKenzie scored his, and Padiham’s, second goal with a cross-shot from 15 yards.

And then on 89 minutes Morris fired home from the edge of the box to unsettle the home side.

Six more minutes of injury time were played and the visitors almost snatched an unlikely draw when Little headed over just before the final whistle.

They return to action on Saturday when they host fellow promotion challengers New Mills at the Riverside, 3pm kick-off.