Sunday League Round Up - Success Plough on!

Success to the Plough won again to keep up their relentless pursuit of their first ever Newbold Tyres Premier Division title. After a fortunate win last week, Plough found the groove again and were quickly back into their familiar routine of fast flowing football.

It took Plough only ten minutes to open the scoring; captain Simon Riley following up after the Cartshaft keeper had saved a Jimmy Needham shot.

The second quickly followed as Burg met a cross at the far post.

With Plough pressing for a third, the Cartshaft keeper made a brilliant save from a Jackson free kick, however, with Plough in top gear chances were coming thick and fast; Hayes missed a good chance then Needham had a shot well saved before Astley wasted two good chances.

Plough got their reward for their attacking football, and put the game beyond doubt, when Burg hit his second just before half time.

Plough opened the second half as they finished the first half with Riley, on a one man crusade to take Plough to the title, scoring a great goal from a tight angle after beating three men.

Burg scored two more to complete his hat-trick before Helmes hit a brace to complete the scoring and a sorry day for Cartshaft.

Copperpot need Success to the Plough to lose one of their three remaining games if they are to take the title, and that is looking very unlikely, however, they kept the pressure on Plough by winning comfortably away at Bamford H&H.

Bamford could have opened the scoring but the referee blew for handball and disallowed the goal and to rub salt in the wound Copperpot took the lead just before half-time when Jepson headed home O’Neil’s cross.

Copperpot went two up in controversial circumstances, Mcarroll's cross was turned in by Luker, the Bamford players protested "handball" and though Luker admitted it, the referee allowed the goal to stand! 

Harrington soon made it three, turning in Dowsing's cut back, and just before the full time whistle Mooney made it four with a 20 yard pile driver.

Third placed Milton were held to a draw by The Gallows which allowed Birches to move within two points of third spot with two games in hand.

Birches beat a Littleborough side who miraculously found thirteen players to turn out having been denied their appeal to be allowed to sign on thirteen new players after the transfer deadline due to a shortage of players!

As you were at the top of the Keystone First Division with the top three all recording easy wins: Broadway Celtic went on a goal rampage to thrash Queen Anne, Catholic Club also had their scoring boots on as they put six past Italia without reply and North Star put five past Highfield.

Woodhouse lost again and remain firmly rooted to the foot of the division and are still, with three quarters of the season over, looking for their first win. Second bottom Roetan are also odds on for the drop as they struggled against an enterprising Brunswick team to lose their eleventh out of thirteen games played.

Shock result of the day came in the Dog amp; Partridge Second Division were third placed Wardleworth ended Copperpot Reserves 100% record and did so comfortably putting four past a shell-shocked Copperpot Reserves side without reply. Three of the six Khan's in the Wardleworth team scored the goals; I Khan with two, A Khan and M Khan with one each.

The damage to Copperpot’s title pretensions did not suffer too badly though as second placed FC Dale went down three nil at home to fourth placed Turks Head.

The bottom of the division clash between Old Bricklayers and Royal Exchange was predictably close and went to the form book with second bottom Exchange prevailing by the odd goal in nine against a spirited Bricklayers side who are now just one loss away from certain relegation.

Rochdale Nomads pulled five points clear at the top of the Lambourne Images Second Division as they saw off the challenge of Bulls Head whilst second placed Catholic Club Reserves went down surprisingly meekly to Boundary Park.

The mid table clash between Dale Dynamos and Rochdale Online produced that rarest of Sunday League score lines, a goalless draw – it was not for the lack of chances!

With only minutes on the clock an appalling error of judgment by Blackburn, attempting to head back to keeper Makin, saw the ball go straight to Dynamos Kershaw who, much to the relief of the Online defence, was guilty of a dreadful miss from five yards out.

Dave Thomas was particularly influential throughout the game for Dynamos, who controlled the first half without their youthful front line ever really threatening the Online defence, who due to injuries were forced to turn out with surely the oldest centre back pairing in the league, the two of them clocking up almost 100 years of experience! 

Playing down the Springhill Park hill in the second half, Rochdale Online dominated possession and chances, Paul Sanderson twice coming close and twice hitting the post. Brad Journeaux, who clearly had the beating of his Dynamos markers, also came close on three occasions.

Online should have taken the points when they fashioned a glorious opportunity in the final seconds. Sanderson shrugging off two challenges before shooting tamely into the hands of the Dynamos keeper with the unmarked Journeaux screaming for the square ball that would almost certainly have given Online three points.