Rochdale Online Alliance Football League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Three of Saturday’s four games in the A W Trippier Cup resulted in comprehensive victories for the home sides; the exception being Asia’s surprise sharing of six goals with Whitworth Valley at Firgrove.

Valley were late arriving, and slow out of the blocks, as Asia took control early on and were rewarded with a goal from Eastmond.

Slowly the balance of play altered and though Asia were still enjoying plenty of possession it was Valley creating the chances and converting three of them to go into the interval with what seemed to be a decisive advantage.

Asia were in determined mood in the second period however and a competitive display earned them a valuable point courtesy of two well worked goals.

Elsewhere in this competition Fothergill & Whittles maintained their fine start to the season with a 7-1 demolition of an ill disciplined Rochdale Asia outfit.

Harlequin paid the price for turning up with a bare eleven at Wardle and were soundly thrashed as Wardle completely dominated play and scored at regular intervals through Williams (2), Brierley (2), Smith, Watson and Wood.

Masood’s four goals were instrumental in Roca’s 6-2 victory over Dusty Miller whose goals, curiously, were both scored by Richard Maughan – their goalkeeper! Hanson netted Roca’s other goals in this one.

In the E Lythgoe Memorial Trophy first half goals from Bentley (2), Wilson and Highton saw Syke with a comfortable half time advantage over Weavers 2nds. With Tyson in fine form at the back for Syke there was no way back for Weavers, hard as they tried, and Traynor rounded off the scoring with the goal of the game from fully thirty yards out.

Possibly what some may consider a surprise at Goshen as Rochdale Sacred Heart defeated Hargreaves by three goals to nil but no surprises in the Waggon Athletic – Castleton clash as the visitors triumphed with ease. Finally Wardle 2nds enjoyed their first cup outing of the season and belied their league form with a deserved point from their trip to Todmorden as they shared four goals with Jacks House, courtesy of goals from Moseley and Large.

AFC Royton rode their luck in a 3-2 home win over Rochdale Asia 2nds in the C Potts Cup at New Barn. Two up in twenty minutes through Lawton and Wilcox the game then turned and Royton were somewhat relieved to go in at half time still a goal to the good.

The second half brought them little respite, and but for keeper Luke Grant’s heroics they would have suffered much worse than Asia’s equaliser with twenty minutes to play. However, Grant’s reward came late on as skipper Simon Atkinson started and finished a sweeping move to give his side the most undeserved of victories.

Castleton 2nds' game with Sun Hotel was switched to Firgrove as Oulder Hill was once again unfit for play and it took David Liddle just eight minutes to put his side in front. However, Castleton then spent the rest of the half trying to pass the ball into the net and failed to add to their early advantage.

Slowly Sun’s confidence grew and both teams cancelled each other out in the second period, Liddle’s goal proving the difference in a game whose outstanding individuals were the respective captains – Stephen Wilkinson for Castleton and Andrew Douglas for Sun.

Sudden Carling 2nds' mini revival ended with a 2-4 home reverse to Donkey Dodgers despite goals from Khan and Kean whilst Wardle 3rds' recent good run also ended with a two goal home reverse; goals from Wright, Greenwood and McLoughlin bettered by a Gabriel Dench hat trick and two goals from Whitworth Valley 2nds' Brett Barry.