No fireworks, but Boro are too hot for Ramsbottom

Visiting Ramsbottom pushed Boro all the way, though Steve Kittrick's men showed the resolve required to claim a 2-1 home win and a valuable three points.

It was important that Boro bounced back after Tuesday night's defeat at Glossop, and they looked up for it from the very first whistle.

With just four minutes played, Max Wright galloped onto a Michael Coulson throughball, but his low shot was kicked away by the outstretched foot of Ramsbottom keeper Danny Taberner.

The positive start continued, with Nathan Valentine flashing a header just wide of the visitors' goal.

Ramsbottom underlined that they were no mugs, as Philip Dean crashed a shot goalwards that was fumbled wide by Tommy Taylor.

Then Taylor held onto a Jamie Rother shot with a number of players waiting to pounce.

Having weathered this short storm, the touchpaper for the game was lit in style by the talismanic Coulson.

With Boro having won a free-kick 30 yards from goal, Coulson stepped up confidently and whipped the ball into the corner of the net.

Boro then showed their counter attacking skills to stretch their lead to two.

Wright once again scampered free down the right, his first drive struck the foot of the post, but he made no mistake with the rebound, crashing it home.

Ramsbottom probably had the upper hand in the latter moments of the half and Boro weren't helped by the return of striker Nathan Curtis' hamstring problems, forcing him off the pitch.

But Taylor showed safe hands when the crosses and shots were flung his way, maintaining Boro's cushion.

The game continued to too and fro at the beginning of the second half, before Ramsbottom caused something of a stir on the hour.

The towering Josh Heaton was given the freedom of the six yard box to angle a header home, lighting their interest in the fixture once again.

Boro almost responded straight away, but Taberner stretched out a palm to push Luke Dean's fizzing drive out of the top corner.

Coulson was forced to make a superb saving tackle on Brad Roscoe as he was about the left fly, then at the other end, Wright hit the side-netting after a dancing run.

Boro looked to have taken everything Ramsbottom could throw, but with 10 minutes left, Heaton once again found space on that far post.

But instead of heading home from three yards, he managed to miss the target.

Having survived this final scare, Boro saw out the final few moments to seal a gritty victory.