Rochdale Online Football League round up

Pride of place in the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League last Saturday went to Messrs Khan (2) Larkin (2) Carullo and Kean whose goals propelled Sudden Carling 2nds to their first three points of the season at a wet and windy Greenvale. No doubt they will be looking to inflict more of the same on Donkey Dodgers this weekend, weather permitting.

The weather didn’t permit much action at all last weekend with just two games surviving in each division. Harlequin are probably wishing their problems were simply related to a lack of changing facilities as one Naveed Butt demolished them at Crossley with six goals of his own in a contest referee Tim Buckley described as “being equal for long periods.” Harlequin’s problems lay in their inability to finish in front of goal and the fine performance of the Rochdale Asia custodian. Oh, and Mr Butt as well!

In the only other game played in the BKC Trophies Premier Division goals from Peters and Butterworth enabled Weavers to draw level with Whitworth Valley and Wardle at the top of the table with a 2-0 home victory over Asia FC.

It’s also tight at the top in the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2 as Oliver (2) Kean and Dewhurst ensured a 4-2 away victory for in form Wardle 3rds ; a win which draws them level with Castleton 2nds, just three points behind joint leaders Whitworth Valley 2nds and AFC Royton.

Not so in the Asia Restaurant Division 1 as league goals sixty four to sixty nine sent Syke clear at the top at the expense of third placed Hargreaves. Bentley opened the scoring on fifteen minutes from twenty yards and, as often happens, one goal quickly became several as Kershaw, Milne and Highton added to the tally. Hargreaves continued to compete and were rewarded early in the second period when Milne scored at the wrong end but Highton quickly wrapped up the victory with two more goals to complete yet another hat trick.

At Matthew Moss Weavers 2nds were quickly in command against a youthful Sudden Carling side and a coolly taken goal from Worrall gave them the advantage doubled just before the break when the home keeper hesitated and then narrowly lost a race from his line as Atkinson made it 2-0 to the visitors. Neal reduced the arrears and for a time Weavers seemed to lose some composure until Worrall restored the two goal lead on seventy minutes. Sudden battled to the end and although Holt made it 2-3 with a sublime header from a deep cross to the back post Weavers in truth always had too much in hand for the home side.