Press Report 23/1/16

Premier Division

Congleton Vale returned to league action with a 5-3 win away at Crewe. Ryan o’Reilly opened the scoring after four minutes for Vale but the scores were then levelled by Crewe, before Vale retook the lead in the 42nd minute when Billy Buckley sent a direct free kick hurtling into the net from 20 yards out.

Ten minutes after the restart, Buckley was brought down in the Crewe penalty area. Carl McCurrie stepped up to take the resulting penalty but his effort was saved by Crewe keeper Andrew Shallcross. The rebound also fell to McCurrie but Shallcross was back on his feet to prevent the second attempt from finding the net.

O’Reilly added a third in the 62nd minute before Tom Jackson made it 4-1 in the 77th minute. Crewe scored twice more but a goal from substitute Jordan Erdmann put the game to rest in the 89th minute.

Rylands returned to league action for the first time since early December with an entertaining 4-2 victory at Styal.
Rylands started the brighter of the two teams and took the lead after just 8 minutes when top scorer Odi Koubemba headed home a Tom Swann cross after Stephen Latham had superbly played the winger in behind the Styal back line.

It wasn’t long before the scores were level, after a defensive mix up allowed Stuart Maylett to knock home from 12 yards with the home side’s first effort of the game.

Styal’s goal brought confidence and the hosts were creating more opening with the number ten being a constant threat in the hole. However, Rylands were looking dangerous on the break and they were back in front on 22 minutes when S. Latham again brought the ball out well and slid Koubemba in behind who made no mistake to finish well.

Kris Bell almost made it three after 37 minutes only to be thwarted by a sensational save from Osborne in the Styal goal. Shortly after Bell made no mistake after a super diagonal ball over the top allowed him to lob the on rushing Osbourne to give the blues a two goal lead.

Styal kept plugging away though and a weak deflected shot fell to Maylett who netted his second of the match from 10 yards after 44 minutes.

Rylands secured the points on 70 minutes when a Josh Dagley set piece was headed home by substitute, James Daniels.

Rudheath Social climbed to fifth place following a 3-0 win at home against Denton Town. Scott Ravenscroft opened the scoring in the 37th minute and Sean Tierney doubled their lead shortly before the hour mark. Paul Alcock made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute to put Rudheath level on points with Rylands who sit in fourth spot with the Northwich side having played two games more.

Sandbach United moved to 11th place following a 1-0 home win against Garswood United, while Greenalls PSO now sit in 8th following a tight 3-2 victory away at Whaley Bridge. Alex Hardman, Mark Hughes and Ellis Houghton all scored for the greens.

League One

Wythenshawe Town ended Billinge’s unbeaten league run with a 1-0 victory away from home. The away side took the lead in the second minute when Billinge failed to clear a well flighted free kick on the left. Jamie Scott in the Billinge net reacted well but Colin Murray followed up to smash the ball home. The win moves Wythenshawe eight points behind their opponents but with three games in hand.

Golborne Sports shared the points in a 2-2 draw at home against local rivals Daten, while Middlewich Town lost 2-1 at home against Pilkington.

Middlewich started brightly and could have gone ahead after three minutes when Jack Weedall’s cross was flicked to the back post by Priestley but James Dean was unable to get enough on the volley and the keeper was able to gather comfortably. Pilkington were unable to take the next chance when a ball forward was flicked on by the centre forward and their pacey winger got in behind the Middlewich defence but lifted his volley over Masters and the other side of the post.

Middlewich went on to create three golden chances to take the lead but were unable to take advantage. On 16 minutes Sam Wakefield made a clever run inside to evade the offside trap and latched on to Priestley’s through ball to leave him one on one with the keeper, but he saved well as Wakefield tried to slide the ball past him.

On 20 minutes Priestley slipped Weedall in down the right in the box who delivered a ball to the unmarked Wakefield at the back post but again he was unable to turn the ball in to the net from close range. Just before half time the Pilkington keeper was forced to save again after Sam O’Sullivan jinked his way past two players on the left of the box and put a low square ball into Wakefield but the keeper saved his effort from close range.

Pilkington started the second half brightly and a run down the right by the winger saw a cross pulled back but Middlewich defended well to stop a runner getting a shot away. Pilkington took the lead on 52 minutes after they broke quickly from a Middlewich corner. After the corner was headed out and cleared to the half way line, Middlewich attempted to play their way out of trouble and when they lost possession suddenly found themselves outnumbered. Pilkington broke and with two against one, Brad Smailes slid the ball past Masters from just inside the box.

Their lead was short lived though as Callum Priestley equalised three minutes later. Sam O’Sullivan’s free kick on the right was headed clear to the far side for a throw in and when the Pilkington defence momentarily switched off the ball was played to Dean who crossed to Priestley to smash home from close range. Middlewich were now in the ascendancy and on 62 minutes Wakefield again found himself with a clear run on goal but under pressure his low shot was once again turned away by the Pilkington keeper.

Pilkington regained the lead on 72 minutes when a ball crossed from the right to the far post was headed back towards the edge of the box and Graham Boylan had too much time and space to take the ball down and bend a lovely shot into the top corner past Masters who could do little to prevent it.

As Middlewich now had to commit more players forward it opened up spaces for Pilkington to counter attack and minutes later they went down the left and crossed to the back post which Joe Devaney did well to clear. They then broke down the opposite side and Masters had to turn away a shot from the right winger when he was in on goal. At the other end Middlewich had a couple of free kicks that were dealt with by the Pilkington defence leaving them unable to find the equaliser.

There were goals galore as Egerton played host to Maine Road Reserves and finished the game 4-3 winners in a seven goal thriller.

Egerton opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when an Egerton free kick 25 yards out was struck well forcing Caine Merrick to push the ball onto the crossbar, the Maine Road players didn’t react to the rebound and Ashley Wells followed up and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
Maine Road hit back before half time when Martin Owen split the defence for the run of Joe Reeves and one on one with the keeper finished well to score on his debut.

The away side were straight out of the blocks and had Egerton working from the whistle as a 30 yard strike from Obiedalal Elghreaw required an excellent full stretch diving save from the Egerton keeper to deny Maine Road the lead.

After a good period of possession, Maine Road took the lead on the hour mark when a good strike from Luke Monaghan was well saved but the keeper couldn’t hold it as Ahmed Alali reacted the quickest and coolly chipped the ball over the outstretched keeper to find the back of the net.

A defensive mix up saw two Gatward and Monaghan both go for the same header and collide in the process, the ball deflected to Nathan Billingham who struck the ball well from 25 yards, low into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.
Straight from the kick off, Egerton took the lead as the ball is knocked aimlessly across the back and an error allows Ash Wells to nick the ball and put it past Caine Merrick for 3-2. Two minutes later Egerton got a fourth as poor defending allowed a good strike from the edge of the box which was well saved but again the Maine Road defence were slow to react and Wells completed his hat trick, after tapping in the rebound.

Maine Road grabbed a late consolation when Sam Owen found himself in space in the 90th minute and put on a good run to drive the ball into the box and shoot across the keeper to make it 4-3.

JA Walton Cup

FC St Helens moved to the top of group B following a 3-1 win over second place Grappenhall Sports. Liam Houghton scored twice and Byron o’Regan also made the score sheet for St Helens, while Dan Sisson scored the only goal for Grappenhall.

Warrington Town Reserves top group C as they beat Tarporley Victoria 2-1 at home to give them twelve points from five games. Rhys Bowers and Dylan Glass scored for Warrington, while Frank Farrington hit for Tarporley.

League Two

Cheadle Town Reserves moved up to eighth following a 2-1 win away at Unicorn Athletic. Barry Lawson bagged both of their goals while Ryan Stewart scored for Unicorn.

West Didsbury & Chorlton sit in seventh place as they beat Cuddington 5-3 away from home. Tre Baldwin-Willis bagged a brace, while Abdul Abogalia, Shackeel Depeiza and Anas Alamalla all scored for the away side.

AFC Macclesfield extended their lead at the top to four points after beating Litherland Remyca Reserves 2-1 away. Macclesfield made a quick start with both, full back, Scott Wright and midfielder Jonny Cavanagh missing chances.

Litherland started to find their rhythm and pressed the Macclesfield goal. On thirty minutes, Dom Chell was forced into a stunning save to keep the game level. It was Chris Megarrell who had the greatest chance, with a wide cross finding Megarrell unmarked on the edge of the penalty area but his effort could only find the outside of the post.

On 65 minutes, the deadlock was broken when the Litherland winger delivered a cross into the box which caught the wind and found its way into the back of the Macclesfield net.
Macclesfield pressed and were awarded a corner which was delivered by substitute Harry Wheetman, Chris Holland rose above his marker to thunder the ball into the back of the net leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.

Late into injury time Macclesfield flung the ball forward one last time and Greg Mathers picked it up on the edge of the box, went past two players, and on his weaker right foot, let fly leaving the Litherland keeper with no chance to steal the points right at the death.

Reserve League One

Second place Poynton closed the gap at the top to six points as they returned after an eight week break to beat Sandbach United 3-1 at home. Lee Broome, Connor Glass and Andrew Simpson all hit home for Poynton while Sandbach’s goal came from Anthony Broadhurst.

Linotype CHN left it late to secure victory at home against Billinge as they finished 3-2 winners in an end to end game. Sam Hood (2) and Jordan Thomson scored for the home side while Billinge’s goals came from Neil Hilton and Tom Rooney.

Daten and Gamesley battled it out in an eleven goal thriller that saw Gamesley finish 6-5 winners. Mike Dewhurst scored four of the goals, while Sam Muryan bagged a brace for Gamesley.

Greenalls PSO remain in fifth place after they beat Styal 4-1 at home. Styal currently sit bottom of the league having only taken three points from eight games.

Reserve League Two

Rylands returned to winning form as they beat Cuddington 7-0 at home to remain nine points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand. Ryan Matthews and Dave Morley both scored twice, while Andy Williams, Mike Southern and Joe Thomas also hit home.

Mersey Valley Development Squad and Middlewich Town shared the points in a 2-2 draw. Zydane McCarthy-Brooks scored both goals for the home side, while Middlewich’s goals both came from Sam Stockley.

West Didsbury and Chorlton finished 2-1 winners away at Malpas to move up to second place in the table.