Sunday League Round Up - RO Cup drama

With teams given the option of playing or not on Easter Sunday the Rochdale amp; District Sunday Football League programme was curtailed to just nine games.

In the Rochdale Online League Cup it took penalties to separate Catholic Club Reserves and Italia. The game level at 5-5 after extra time, Catholic Club won the penalty shoot out 5-4.

In the other RO Cup game the all Premier Division clash produced a shock with bottom placed Bamford H&H seeing off high flying Birches to progress to the next round.

Top of the Newbold Premier Division Success to the Plough edged ever closer to their first Premier Division title with an edgy and far from convincing performance, but one that leaves them with just two games to play, win the two and the title is theirs.

Plough started well and were in front within 5 minutes when Richard Helme hit home from 10 yards and they soon doubled their lead, Matt Jackson hit home a penalty that Gallows could be forgiven felling was a harsh decision.
When Carl Dawood hit a rocket of a shot to put Plough three up it seemed the game was effectively over. However, Gallows came out a different team in the second half and took control of the game.

Ian Hartley scored a free kick and then Diggle put Plough under real pressure by dispatching another harshly given penalty to bring the deficit back to one goal.

Both sides continued to attack and counter attack and both had chances but Plough held on to take three vital points.

In the Keystone First Division second placed Catholic Club won surprisingly comfortably against third placed North Star. Club go within three points of top placed Broadway Celtic, who had no game, with two games in hand.
Roetan’s defeat at Marston Tavern all but confirms their relegation. It is still mathematically possible for Roetan to survive the drop, however to do so they would have to win all four of their remaining games and hope the teams above them lose all theirs!

With glorious sunshine baking the pitch at Harehill Recreation Ground, Littleborough, Dog amp; Partridge Second Division strugglers Royal Exchange surprised promotion hopefuls Turks Head with a very creditable first half performance, the team going into the half time break level at 1-1.

In the second half Turks upped their tempo and began to play the ball to around and dominated in midfield setting up wave after wave of attacks and the pressure paid with three second half goals the pick of which was a lovely move down the right, the Turks fullback played a slide rule pass to his winger to take out two Exchange midfielders, the winger cut inside to beat his marker before crossing to see his attacker, with a prodigious leap, give the Exchange keeper no chance from six yards.

The win keeps Turks Head in third place hot on the heels of second placed FC Dale, who won at a canter against a poor Bay Horse side.

Juts one game in the Lambourne Images Third Division, the result predictable with a Woolworth’s team that may yet figure in the promotion battle, if they can win their games in hand, beating second bottom Blue Ball.