Press Round Up 8/8/15

Premier League

The two promoted sides Congleton Vale and Malpas currently sit at the top of the table as both sides have taken maximum points from their opening two games. Congleton beat Poynton through two second half goals. Dan Buehler opened the scoring in the 77th minute when a through ball from Andy John split the defence leaving Buehler one on one with the keeper. The second came from the penalty spot with six minutes left on the clock, Richie Booth was fouled in the box but drove his kick hard into the net for 2-0.

Malpas got their dream start when a corner was played in but only cleared as far as Lee Parry who fired it home after 7 minutes. A good passing move found Andy Morris thirty yards out who went on a strong run before unleashing a twenty yard strike in the bottom of the net for 2-0 with only 13 minutes played.

Eagle settled and looked for the openings to get back in the game but Malpas made it 3-0 on the half hour mark when Mike Gibbs moved forward, linking in with Danny Lloyd before Parry got on the ball, moved it forward and drilled home his fourth in two games. This was a key goal as Eagle were settling into the game although not making chances as the home back line look.

Eagle scored a late consolation goal when a mix up at the back saw Owen Ellis slot home to make it 3-1.

Gamesley bounced back from their midweek disappointment to beat Sandbach United 4-0 at home. Josh Stevenson (2) Mike Dewhurst and Nathan Clarke all scored in the first half to get Gamesley’s first win of the season.

Nathan Southern scored twice and along with a Chris Jackson goal, helped Crewe to a 3-1 win at home against Denton Town, while Steve Melville earned Garswood United a point as they drew 1-1 at home against Whaley Bridge.

League champions Linotype CHN continue to look for their first win of the season as they lost 1-0 at home to Rudheath Social, while Greenalls PSO and Styal shared the points in a 0-0 draw. The game kicked off with Greenalls looking disjointed and a shadow of the team from midweek, they to get out of first gear. Fortunately for the hosts, Styal were not so fluid either but their lively forward Whelan was causing the defence a few problems with his pace and neat footwork.
Greenalls’ first chance fell to Daz Kinsey, Gareth Johns played the winger through only to see his strike saved at Styal keeper, Tom Needham’s near post. On the half hour mark Ellis Houghton’s change of pace down the right flank caught out the Styal full back who brought him down to earn Greenalls a penalty. Up stepped Ben Slater who placed the ball right in the corner to the keeper’s right only to be met by an outstanding save by the Styal shot stopper.
Greenalls upped their game slightly in the second half but still struggled to get a grip of the game. Skipper Mark Hughes had a chance from a corner but was unable to guide his header on target.
Greenalls were reduced to ten men through injury in the 75th minute, having used all of their substitutes and this almost looked to be costly when Styal’s Whelan broke free at the other end and forced an outstanding double save from Conor Yarwood. Styal were then reduced to ten as they had a played dismissed for a second caution and both sides hung on for the draw.
Knutsford and Rylands shared the points in a 1-1 draw. In sweltering heat the all new Rylands tried to play possession football and match Knutsford as they worked hard throughout with a disciplined defence and pace down their left side.

Knutsford started well as they imposed their passing game on the home side. Lee Mannion went close from 20 yards in the opening 5 minutes as both sides tried to play possession football. Minutes later Rylands went close from a Tom Swann corner but Calum Wilson headed wide.

On 15 minutes Knutsford’s lone striker Owens found the overlapping Beattie who crossed well to the near post for Cartner seeing his effort well saved by keeper Steve Latham. At the other end, Rylands took the lead in the 25th minute when Kris Bell fired a low shot into the bottom corner from 35 yards out.
Rylands’ McCarthy crossed and Bell blasted over from 10 yards and from the goal kick Knutsford’s midfield moved forward creating an opportunity for Rezayan to blast over the bar at the other end. Still pushing forward Owens left foot strike went just wide as the game started to open up.

Rylands had another great opportunity to double their lead on 33 minutes, when Connor Anderson found Koubemba Odilon free in the box but he was denied by a fingertip save on to the crossbar from Stanway in the Knutsford goal.
With the game nearing half time a deep cross from Lynch found hard working David Owens going close with a powerful left foot shot. It was then Mannion turn to hit a speculative long range shot wide. Another midfield combination with Pickford to deliver the ball to Owens in the box but the number 10s shot was blocked.
With no half time changes, Knutsford increased their tempo but it was Rylands that created the better early chances with Stanway saving well from Odilion’s header and Anderson firing wide after a defensive mistake.

Within eight minutes of Liam Myers’ introduction on 65 minutes, Knutsford got the breakthrough they needed when Owens found Myers in the box who was felled and the penalty was awarded. Up stepped Myers to drill into bottom right corner for 1-1 to secure a point for his side.
League One

Pilkington rolled out 6-2 winners as they beat local rivals Penlake 6-2 in the first derby of the season. Matty Taylor was in fine form as he bagged a hat trick while Graham Boylan also bagged two. Calvin Birchall was the final scorer for Pilkington while Alex Griesdale and Andrew Silsby scored for Penlake.

Golborne Sports beat Egerton 2-1 at home to open the season with a win. Goals in the first half from Danny Bradshaw and Egerton’s Chris Trowbridge saw the sides go in level at the break but a goal from Grant Whitfield at the start of the second half saw Golborne steal the points as Whitfield spun the centre back and sent the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

Relegated Billinge met newly promoted Altrincham Reserves for the first time and strolled out 4-0 winners as they seek promotion back to the prem. Tom Ashall, Jonathon Redmond, Liam Roughley and Sam Denton all hit home for Billinge.

A brace each for James Green and Dean McGregor helped Wythenshawe Town pick up where they left off last season. Remmi Williams scored the final goal as they beat Tarporley Victoria 5-0 at home.

Middlewich Town shared the points with Daten in a 3-3 draw in a game that started at a blistering pace with both sides having good early chances to take the lead. With only five minutes on the clock, Middlewich were awarded a penalty when Callum Priestly was brought down in the area. Joe O’Sullivan stepped up to take the shot but his effort to the keepers left was well saved and tipped away.

Middlewich took the lead in the 16th minute when a long ball from keeper Masters was flicked on by Priestley and Evans coolly lobbed the keeper from 18 yards out for 1-0. They then had a Priestley header cleared off the line from a corner, Joe O’Sullivan’s 20 yard strike was well saved, and Priestley couldn’t connect properly after superb work by Evans had squared the ball for him 6 yards out.

At the other end James Horne had to clear from the line after a good save from Masters had taken the sting out of a Daten shot and the home side equalised shortly before the break when their winger cut across the pitch and got a shot off that deflected off a defender into the path of Leon Goulden who lashed the ball past Masters.

On the stroke of half time Middlewich regained the lead when a good switch by Joe O’Sullivan out to Dean on the right, he then beat a defender and smashed the ball past the keeper from a tight angle.

Daten started the second half brightly and equalised soon after the restart when good play on the right saw a teasing cross behind the defenders and under pressure Sam O’Sullivan unfortunately bundled the ball past Masters. 2-2. It got worse for Town on 52 when a long ball forward caught out the defence and Goulden was through on goal, making no mistake when he got into the box and putting Daten ahead with his second.

Middlewich had their equaliser ruled out for offside ten minutes later but it finally came in the 75th minute when a ball played into the box towards Priestley saw him bundled over by the defender for the second penalty of the game. Evans took it this time and although the keeper got his hands to it, it wasn't enough to keep it out.

League Two

Halebank settled into Cheshire League life nicely as they won 4-2 at home against Cuddington, while Lostock Gralam beat the other league newcomers Litherland Remyca Reserves 2-0 away. Lostock left it late to find their opening goal, but it came when James Welsh hit a thunderbolt of a strike past the stricken Remyca goalkeeper. Substitue Joseph Carroll found space before putting a low cross into the box, to see Welsh turn and smash home on the 83rd minute. Moments later the visitors doubled their advantage when Billy Whitehouse connected with a pinpoint corner to steer home.

Mersey Valley also got off to a good start as they beat Cheadle Town Reserves 3-0 away as they looked to improve on last season’s third place finish and seek promotion. Valley came out of the blocks quickly with a series of teasing crosses from the dangerous Aaron Minshall. After 12 minutes he found a defence splitting diagonal pass to Kyle Denton who finished at the second try to give Valley the lead.

The goal seamed to galvanise Cheadle who created a number of chance of their own, only to be denied by Martin Flannagan in goal and Danny Watling at centre half. As the half wore on Valley started to impose themselves, dominating large portions of possession, just before half time some sharp link up play from Denton and James Liversedge ended with Liversedge volleying past the hapless Cheadle Keeper.

The 80th minute saw left back Kyle Watson beat two men with some brilliant trickery and delivered a teasing cross into the near post for Denton slot home for 3-0.

Reserve League One
Whaley Bridge started their season brightly as they beat Garswood United 4-0 at home, while a single goal from Conor Glass helped Poynton to a 1-0 win over Greenalls PSO.

James Bruce scored for Grappenhall Sports as they beat Styal 1-0 while Daten beat current champions Linotype CHN. The two sides cancelled each other out at the break as a brace from Adam McMahon and another from Daten’s Mustapha Bouamra saw the sides level at 2-2 but two second half goals from substitute Laurien Kenny secured the win for Daten.

Knutsford A are sitting pretty at the top of the table after beating Gamesley 7-0. Bradley Williams bagged a hat trick, while Jordan Gunter, Ryan Williams, Jamie Way and Kallum McDonough hit home in their first game in Reserve League One.

Newly promoted Sandbach United also got off to a dream start after beating Eagle Sports 5-0 at home. James Bettley bagged a brace, while Phil Smith, Edward Hilditch and Ashley Worrall also scored.

Reserve League Two

West Didsbury and Chorlton A went straight to the top of the table as they beat Pilkington 9-1, while Jordan Tomlinson and Jordan McCann scored for Denton Town as they came from behind to beat Middlewich Town 2-1 after Mark o’Sullivan had given them the lead.

Wythenshawe Town beat Mersey Valley Development Squad 4-0 in their opening game of the season. A hat trick from Jake Gregory along with a goal from Jerome Smith gave Wythenshawe maximum points.

Rylands started the game well, retaining possession but after 7 minutes were caught out by a long ball that was latched on to by the Cuddington striker, who calmly knocked it over the onrushing Matt Latham in the Rylands goal and nodded home in to the empty goal.
Rylands were level after 14 minutes, when Tom Leigh was fouled 35 yards out after a skillful run. Greg Freeman stepped up and fired the free kick home.
Rylands began to dominate the game, and created another golden opportunity in the 24th minute when Freeman and Andy Williams combined to play in Haydn Fraser, who finished narrowly wide, but the chance was a brief respite for Cuddington as Rylands went ahead after 33 minutes when Williams' low corner was flicked home by Fraser.
Rylands found time for one more before half time, when Freeman's wide free kick found the head of Nick Jordan.
The visitors began the second half in the same way they ended the first, and after 49 minutes it was 4-1 when Liam Barnett fired a low drive from the edge of the box through a crowd of bodies to find the bottom corner.
Over the course of the second half Rylands continued to create opportunities, with Andy Williams being unable to finish when well placed on several occasions, but the game was put to bed in the 85th minute when a Cuddington clearance found Dave Morley on the edge of the box, who volleyed home in to the top corner.