Press Report 7/11/15

By Kat McEvoy

Middlewich hit FC St Helens for six!

Premier Division

Congleton Vale moved up to second place following a 2-0 win away at Sandbach United. New signing Ryan Read started the move for the first goal, playing a decent one two with Carl McCurrie. The ball was passed back to Ryan o’Reilly who pushed forward and as the challenge came in from a Sandbach defender it ricocheted off another defender and into their own net to put Congleton ahead. The second goal came in the 82nd minute when Matt Benn-Accom ran down the right wing and beat two defenders before crossing the ball into the box for McCurrie to smash into the net for 2-0.

JA Walton Challenge Cup

Grappenhall Sports sit at the top of Group B on six points after they beat Maine Road Reserves 2-1 at home. Despite a strong first half performance that saw Maine Road duo Zach Gatward and Sam Barnett dominate the midfield, it was Grappenhall who took the lead in the 38th minute.

Maine Road responded well and were back on level terms after Sam Barnett hit home from the penalty spot just before the half time whistle. Robbie Wallis started the move at the back as he combined with Shae Grimshaw and drove the ball into the box, only to be brought down by a Grappenhall defender. Barnett scored the resulting penalty to make it 1-1.

On the hour mark, Maine Road almost took the lead but the ball was cleared off the line from a corner and Grappenhall hit them on the counter attack as the number 10 picked up the clearance on the half way line, the number 7 then hit a tremendous 40 yard cross-field ball over the top of the Maine Road defence for a perfectly timed run by the number 14. His first touch was equally as good as the pass and he finished well at the near post to make it 2-1.

Middlewich Town move up to second place on goal difference as they got their first cup win, beating FC St Helens 6-1 at home. Sam Wakefield set them on their way when Middlewich hit St Helens on the counter attack after defending a free kick in their own box. The ball was headed clear to James Dean, who volleyed over the top of the defence to put Wakefield clear to round the keeper and slide the ball home for 1-0.

Dean then went close himself after a slick move down the right involving Whitehead, Evans and Priestley, but could only steer the ball the wrong side of the post. FC St Helens equalised on 25 minutes when Middlewich lost possession high up the pitch to Paul Sweeney who advanced 40 yards, past two players before slipping Josh Pilkington in to fire in to the bottom corner past Charlie Masters to make it 1-1.

Middlewich introduced Joe Devaney at half time and he made an instant impact as he sent a low cross into the box but Evans shot narrowly wide after side stepping his marker. Middlewich took the lead two minutes later though when good pressing high up the pitch from Dean and Johnson forced the St Helens defender into an error and the ball dropped to Wakefield on the edge of the box to stroke home, his shot squirming under the keeper’s desperate dive for 2-1

With 20 minutes left on the clock, Wakefield passed up the chance of a hat trick after being put through but the keeper saved well to push the ball for a corner. From the resulting corner, Dean Burgess powered home a header at the back post with his first touch, to give Middlewich a 3-1 lead.

Experience and fitness began to tell for the home side when they made it 4-1 two minutes later. Devaney and Evans combined down the left and when the ball arrived in the box Matty Cann timed his run perfectly to side foot past the keeper.

As the game entered injury time the ball dropped to Joe Devaney on the edge of the box to smash home a half volley past the despairing keeper to make it 5-1 and in the 93rd minute Jack Weedall’s cross from the left wasn't dealt with and as the ball came back to him he drilled it first time inside the keeper’s near post to complete the scoring.

In Group C, Pilkington got their first cup win as they beat group leaders Warrington Town Reserves 6-4 in a thrilling end to end fixture.

Billinge climbed to the top of Group D as they beat second place Daten 2-1 away. Both Elliot Bradshaw and Paul Doherty went close early on for Billinge but the scores remained level until the 30th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Ryan Platt was fouled in the box. Chris Cottington stepped up and sent the Daten keeper the wrong way to give Billinge the lead.

Just before the break, Billinge were awarded a free kick just outside the box, Cottington curled his it around the Daten wall but his effort was pushed away by the Daten keeper, the ball fell to Doherty his effort went wide of the target.

Billinge made it 2-0 in the second half when Chris Fairhurst headed home a Ryan Platt cross. Daten pulled a goal back in the 80th minute after a mix up in the Billinge defence allowed Leon Goulden to slot the ball home for 2-1.

League Two

Goals from Alex Russell and Andy Ward helped Lostock Gralam extend their lead at the top to four points after a narrow 2-1 win over title rivals Mersey Valley. The defeat sees Mersey Valley drop down to fourth but only on goal difference as the two above also have 25 points.

Halebank returned to winning form as they completed a convincing 7-2 win away at Cuddington. Andy Cashmore opened the scoring in the 15th minute which was followed up by further first half goals from Dan Whalley, Matt Perry and James Standish to put the away side 4-0 up at the break. Cuddington had a better second half as they hit home twice but Dan Whalley was on fire for Halebank as he completed his hat trick before Conor Speed added the seventh in the 83rd minute.

West Didsbury & Chorlton Reserves moved up to seventh place after they beat Unicorn Athletic 5-1 at home. Tommy Walsh opened the scoring early doors as he found the net in the 3rd minute but Unicorn were back on level terms ten minutes later when Tony Arnold hit home the equaliser. Callum Williams restored West Didsbury’s lead in the 16th minute and Gary Lilley added a third on the half hour mark. Just before the break Joel Igenoza made it 4-1 and Tre Baldwin-Willis completed the scoring in the second half when he went on a mazy run before putting the ball under the Unicorn keeper making it 5-1.

Reserve League One

Whaley Bridge extended their lead at the top to six points after beating Sandbach United 3-2 at home. Whaley took the lead on ten minutes when Ciaran Heggerty struck for the home side but Ken Mather equalised for Sandbach five minutes later. The home side went in front again on the half hour mark when Tom Scorer found the net directly from a corner. Scorer added another in the 35th minute to give Whaley a two goal cushion going into the break. Mather scored his second in the 80th minute to make it 3-2 but despite a strong second half performance, Sandbach were unable to save the points.

Reserve League Cup

The only cup game to be played this weekend saw Greenalls PSO beat local rivals Grappenhall Sports 7-3 at home. Paul Molloy and Neil Sutch were both on fire as they bagged a hat trick each, while Gary Fox also hit home in a successful day at the office for the Greenalls side. The win moves them up to third in group A, three points behind leaders Garswood United with a game in hand.

Reserve League Two

Mersey Valley Development Squad bounced back from last week’s disappointment to beat Malpas 4-1 away moving them two points clear of the bottom two.

Denton Town remain in second position as they edged a 3-2 win away at Moore United despite the home side almost taking the lead in the first minute. The Denton defence played the ball backwards but it fell perfectly for Moore’s Tom Smith who was clean through on goal but he hit his shot straight at keeper Mark Dillnutt with the goal at his mercy.

Moore did then take the lead in the 17th minute when Dean Barlow played a great ball that split the Denton defence to the run of Mike Leslie who was one on one with the keeper. Leslie rounded the keeper and slotted the ball past the hastily retreating defence for 1-0.

A crazy ten minutes around the half hour mark saw the tables turn quite quickly as a Denton ball over the top to Gage Rothwell saw him finish well and draw the sides level. This was followed by a great strike from Jason Kelly from 25 yards that beat Balmer in the Moore net and into the bottom corner to put Denton ahead. Kelly got his second five minutes later to give Denton a 3-1 lead going into the break.

Just after the hour mark, Mike Leslie put the ball on a plate for Phil Gahgan who slotted it past Dillnutt to make it 3-2.

Rylands retained their 3 point lead at the top as they beat West Didsbury & Chorlton A 4-2 at home continuing their successful run of league form that sees them unbeaten since mid September.

Where next?

Maine Road celebrate 60 years!! Diamond Date for Maine Road
Press Report 31/10/15 Moore United Reserves smash seven past Mersey Valley Dev

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