Press Report 14/11/15

Premier Division

Greenalls PSO came from 2-0 down to beat Congleton Vale 3-2 at home and move up to seventh. Carl McCurrie put Congleton ahead after ten minutes which was followed up with a brilliant 25 yard strike from Dan Buehler to double their lead. Lee Vaughan scored in the 43rd minute to reduce the deficit at half time and two second half goals from Neil Sutch turned the tables and gave Greenalls the victory.

There were goals galore as Garswood United and Gamesley battled it out on a miserable day at the Wooders. Garswood edged the win as Steve Boothman (2) Stuart McDonald and Steve Melville scored in the 4-3 victory, while Vinnie Braine, Mike Dewhurst and Adam Oakes all hit home for Gamesley.

League One

Billinge returned to league action with a 4-4 draw at home against Grappenhall Sports which leaves them two points behind Altrincham Reserves in top spot, with three games in hand. Billinge opened the scoring with only 40 seconds on the clock when Steve Wolhuter found Ryan Platt on the left, Platt rounded the Grappenhall full-back and found Kyle Ross on the edge of the box who finished well for 1-0.
Five minutes later Grappenhall were awarded a free kick just outside the Billinge penalty area, goal keeper Jamie Scott set his wall up but couldn't stop a great strike from Grappenhall’s Luke Merritt. The goal lifted the visitors and within minutes they made it 2-1 when Merritt was left unmarked on the far post to slot home.

Billinge reacted quickly and made it 2-2 after 12 minutes when Grappenhall failed to clear the ball from a corner, Chris Fairhurst was in the right spot to hit home the equaliser.

On the 20 minute mark Grappenhall were awarded a corner on the right, the wind assisted cross beat everyone and ended up in the back of the net putting Grappenhall back in front. The visitors had adapted well to the wet and windy conditions and went 4-2 up being awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. Luke Merritt again stepped up and drove his shot through the Billinge wall, wrong footing Scott in goal.

Billinge pulled one back soon after the restart when Bradshaw’s corner was met by the head of Jon Redmond who finished well for 4-3.

The home side continued to apply the pressure and forced the Grappenhall keeper to make several point blank saves, but he was unable to stop Ross from getting his second in the 65th minute to earn a point for Billinge.

Tarporley Victoria battled back from 1-0 down at half time to beat Egerton 2-1 through goals from Ed Pattinson and Mark Pearson. The win moves Tarporley up to sixth in the table.

Golborne Sports sit in third place, two points behind Billinge after they beat Maine Road Reserves 2-1 at home after a brilliant effort from the groundsman to ensure the pitch was playable.

The home team started strongly and caught Maine Road napping at the back as their first attack of the game saw them awarded a corner but no one was able to meet the resulting cross. This seemed to wake the visitors up and after a period of dominance Maine Road took the lead in the 20th minute when Sam Barnett picked out Robbie Wallis on the right wing who sent a firm pass into the feet of Adam Savill. His first touch took the ball away from his marker and he shot on the turn from the edge of the box which went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Shortly before the break Maine Road paid the price for some sloppy defending as the number four heads home the equaliser for Golborne.

Within a minute of the restart, a brilliant passage of football almost gave Maine Road the lead again but they were denied by an incredible save. The move started with Savill beating the Golborne right back with a good turn and the run took him to the corner flag, he laid the ball back to Calum Broady who squared to Barnett in the middle before switching the play to Grimshaw and back to Barnett. His well-timed pass picked up the run of Nick Osborne inside the box, who hit a great strike and somehow, at full stretch, the keeper turned the ball over the bar. The football deserved a goal but equally the brilliance of the keeper deserved to deny the goal.

Golborne scored the winner in the 85th minute when a long ball was played into the No.7 who stepped one way, then the other to force the error from defender Andrew Cochran. As it looked like he would drive into the box, keeper Caine Merrick had no choice but to rush out and close the angle, a quality chip looped over his head and into the back of the net to see Golborne take all three points.

League Two

AFC Macclesfield closed the gap at the point to just two points after they stormed to an impressive 9-0 home win against Cuddington. Harry Wheetman was unstoppable as he smashed three past the away team keeper while club top scorer Greg Mather added two more to his already impressive haul. Chris Allen (2), Chris Holland and Jack Banister also hit home as Macclesfield continue to push hard for promotion.

FC St Helens got off to a flying start as goals from Calum Laird and Paul Sweeney gave them a 2-0 lead against current league leaders Lostock Gralam. However, a superb header from Robbie Jones halved the arrears midway through the second half and a fine Greg Ward finish restored parity for the away side.

Will Reid hit a stunning strike into the bottom corner to give turn things around and give Lostock the lead, but in the late stages of the game, St Helens were awarded a penalty that Laird converted to earn the home side a point.

Mersey Valley bounced back from last week’s defeat with conviction as they finished 7-3 winners away at Unicorn Athletic. The away side opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Kyle Denton was on hand to convert Danny Watling’s cross. Unicorn pulled the scores level on the half hour mark when James Arnold hit home but Valley responded quickly and took the lead again two minutes later and this time it was James Liversedge who found the net from Watling’s cross. There appeared to be no stopping Watling out on the wing as he was involved in Mersey Valley’s third goal, his run into the box resulted in a foul and Liversedge hit home the resulting penalty. Ollie Riley made it 4-1 on the brink of half time as Denton turned provider and put the away side firmly in control.

Liversedge completed his hat trick in the 54th minute as Kyle Denton set him up for an easy finish. Unicorn continued to battle and Ash Woodhead made it 5-2 in the 63rd minute as he found the net but Denton added his second of the game soon after to keep Mersey Valley four goals in front.

Steve Taylor scored Valley’s seventh in the 79th minute as Watling again provided the cross following an impressive run down the wing but Unicorn battled to the end and made it 7-3 in the 83rd minute as Woodhead sent his free kick crashing into the top corner.

Reserve League One

Whaley Bridge extended their lead at the top to nine points as they beat Daten 5-1 away. Alex Airey added two to his season’s tally while Tom Scorer, Kieran Shuker and Ben Nadin also hit home. Dan Heavey was Daten’s only scorer.

Reserve League Cup

Billinge moved up to second in group A as they won 4-0 away at Grappenhall Sports thanks to a Liam Roughley hat trick and a goal from Stuart Cooke. Billinge sit behind leaders Garswood only on goal difference with a game in hand over their local rivals.

Golborne Sports got off the mark as they won their first cup game, beating Poynton 3-1 away. They now join their opponents on three points and have the same goal difference.

Reserve League Two

Rylands continue their run of form as a 3-0 home win over second place Denton Town sees them extend their lead at the top to six points.