Joel Ramm blow for Pickering Town (From Gazette & Herald)

Joel Ramm blow for Pickering Town

3:38pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Sport

JOEL RAMM may miss the rest of the season as the Pickering Town player tries to get to the bottom of a troublesome knee problem.

The midfielder, who returned to the Recreation Ground in the middle of this campaign having departed for the Pikes’ Northern Counties East League premier division rivals Scarborough Athletic last summer, will have X-rays at Scarborough Hospital on Friday.

Ramm missed his side’s 3-1 win over Barton Town Old Boys at the weekend – a game that only went ahead after some valiant work by the Pickering ground staff on the morning of the match.

And manager Jimmy Reid said: “We will have to wait and see. He’s had six or seven great games since his return to the club and he loves to get stuck in.

“Lewis Taylor has been a good replacement although he is not as mobile. Joel will come back next season a stronger player.”

Liam Salt scored the perfect hat-trick to down Barton – left foot, right foot and a header – and Reid praised his impact as the three points pushed his side into seventh in the premier division table and took Salt’s tally for the season to 30 in all competitions.

“It just relieves the pressure from the other players and he is just a natural goalscorer,” added Reid. “We are looking for him to kick on now for the rest of the season.”

Salt’s first arrived just after the 20-minute mark when, after Taylor and Simon Sturdy had gone close, he fired home with his left foot from 18 yards after latching on to Baxter’s neat through ball.

He doubled Pickering’s advantage 10 minutes later from 12 yards with his right foot after good work by Liam Shepherd and Tom Reid.Dave Bramley, in the Pikes goal, did well to prevent Ashley Lattimore’s 25-yard free-kick from halving the deficit but there seemed little for the home side to fear after the break.

Joe Danby’s angled shot was saved, but Barton then received a lifeline when former Kirkbymoorside player Ryan Cooper scored with a glancing header from six yards.

However, within a minute, the two-goal advantage had been restored as Baxter’s right-wing cross was headed in by Salt.

Adam Crane had a chance for the visitors well saved by Bramley and Gareth Barlow hit the woodwork from distance. Alex Sherwood also shot wide of the target as Pickering eased to victory.

Pickering: Bramley, Reid, Danby (Dalton 60), Readman, Sturdy, Taylor, Patterson, Heads (Braithwaite 71), Baxter, Salt (Gowen), Shepherd. Sub not used: Fenwick.

The Pikes’ home game against Staveley Miners Welfare, due to have been played last night (Tuesday), was cancelled because Staveley were involved in a Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA Cup clash against Rossington.

No new date has yet been agreed for the fixture.

Saturday sees Reid’s men travel to Liversedge (3pm).

Pickering Town Under-19s’ clash at Selby Town last week was postponed. They will be in action in the semi-final of the Pat Rice Trophy at home on April 3.