FORMER Bolton Wanderers favourite Mark Patterson was the architect behind Radcliffe Boro's exit from the FA Umbro Trophy in a home Round Two 3-0 defeat by Accrington Stanley.

The cup tie looked a case of one big game too far this season for Boro.

Although possession in the opening period belonged to Boro, the Accrington goal was never seriously threatened.

The visitors to Stainton Park took the lead on 36 minutes when a defender strode forward to head home powerfully from Patterson's pinpoint corner.

Five minutes after the interval, Boro's best chance of the game saw Dave Collins bring a superb save out of the visitors' keeper.

As the game wore on, Accrington upped the tempo, with Patterson pulling the strings, creating a second goal from a corner on 70 minutes and watching with delight as his team made it 3-0 on 85 minutes.

The man-of-the-match vote for Boro was split between keeper Danny Hurst for several outstanding saves and defender David Bean who kept former Boro striker Paul Mullin quiet all afternoon.

Ramsbottom United moved to 11th in the North West Counties League Division One with a highly impressive 4-1 home win over third in the table Mossley.

The Rams' executioner-in-chief on the day was a player who transferred into the Riverside Stadium from Mossley just three weeks ago, Chris Wilcock.

It took him just nine minutes of his United debut to score his first goal for the club with a shot which finished in the back of the net off an upright.

His delight was doubled on 43 minutes when he managed to stab the ball into the opposition goal from Danny Goodall's cross from the left but just a minute later he was denied his hat-trick by a stunning save from Mossley's Tommy Allen.

On 51 minutes, Goodall was again the creator as his cross was powerfully headed home by Russell Brierley. The fourth came from the penalty spot on 68 minutes when Wilcock again had his former teammates in a panic and was fouled. Brierley blasted home the spot kick.

On 71 minutes, Mossley grabbed a consolation goal through Pedro Brennan but the closing stages saw the Rams well on top with two late chances going begging.

Man-of-the-match for United was midfielder Andy Grimshaw who has recently taken over the skipper's armband in the absence of long term injury victim Warren Brierley.

Atherton Colls went down to a 2-0 defeat at St Helens Town which saw Saints move into the top four in the table and Colls slip into the bottom five.

In Division Two, Daisy Hill boosted confidence for tomorrow night's Floodlit Cup tie at Atherton LR with a comfortable 3-0 away win at bottom club Oldham Town.

"It wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination but it was a good win coming before the LR game," enthused manager Brian Richardson.

"It was certainly good to get a game under our belts after the lay off.

"Although we showed glimpses of what we can do we didn't play that well."

Daisy's goals came from former Radcliffe Boro striker Adam Entwistle, Neil Melling and Ross McNair.

The Arla Foods man of the match vote went to Paul Prescot.

The woes at Atherton LR continued in a 3-1 home defeat by Nelson.

Tomorrow night's games: Unibond League Cup Group Stage: Droyldesden v Radcliffe Boro. NWCL: Maine Road v Ramsbottom Utd; Atherton LR v Daisy Hill