Rochdale Online Alliance League

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

On a weekend of cup action both home and abroad ROAFL Division 1 outfit Jacks House upset the odds, dumping LAL side Prairie United out of the LFA Cup in emphatic style. Prairie travelled to Walsden Rec with an unbeaten record to protect but that never seemed likely as Jacks scored at regular intervals to record a memorable 7-2 victory that earns them a trip to Prestwich in Round 3.

Syke also knocked out LAL opposition with a 4-1 victory at Horwich RMI. The Syke management team were pleased by their side’s best performance of the season and they went in front after twenty minutes through Kershaw, before poor defending from a set piece allowed Horwich to level matters before the interval. Syke controlled the second period and added three unanswered goals with Kershaw completing a deserved hat-trick that now sees Syke on the road again to Shevington.

The third local side through to the last 32 are champions Weavers who disposed of last season’s semi finalists BAE Canberra at Matthew Moss. Weavers dominated the first half and went close through Peters twice and George, but the breakthrough would not come and BAE almost made them pay on the stroke of half time when they broke away only to be thwarted by a superb save by Fletcher in the home goal. With Hand causing problems for BAE almost at will Weavers continued to dominate but a mixture of wayward finishing and excellent goalkeeping looked like taking the game into extra time until substitute Bradley scored with his first touch in the 70th minute. Weavers had chances to seal the victory but in the end one goal sufficed and they now travel to Preston & District League outfit Adelphi on the 23 October.

Two Preston & District League sides put an end to the hopes of County Cup glory for Division 1 outfit Waggon Athletic, well beaten at Preston GSA, and Wardle, who were disappointingly beaten on penalties by Southport Amateurs at Rutherford Park. Southport started much the stronger and went into an early two goal lead before Wardle switched from their 4-5-1 formation to a more attack minded 4-4-2 by moving Wood up front to join Smith. The move paid dividends almost immediately as Wood was brought down and Watson netted from the spot. The local side were now well on top and a deserved equaliser arrived before the break as Sutcliffe forced home the loose ball after Southport failed to clear their lines. However the interval came at the wrong time for Wardle and they struggled to regain their momentum in the second period, resulting in a much more even half that saw Southport regain the lead in the closing minutes. All seemed lost for Wardle until they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box in the very last minute of time added on and to the unconfined joy of the home support Smith lashed the ball home to level matters once more. With no time to restart and no extra time in this competition the tie went straight to penalties. Williams missed Wardle’s fourth penalty and Southport’s final taker made no mistake to send Wardle crashing out in the hardest of ways possible.

With Roca also comprehensively beaten at Springhill by another LAL side, Rossendale Amateurs, it’s three through and three out as the competition reaches the round of the last 32 in three weeks time.

In the domestic cup action it was the first round of the President’s Cup with league new boys Balderstone taking pride of place by courtesy of their 4-3 victory over unbeaten Division 1 outfit Wardle 2nds. A double from Kershaw had put Wardle into an early two goal lead before a weak back header allowed Eastwood in to reduce the deficit. Johnson quickly restored Wardle’s two goal cushion direct from a free-kick only for a non-existent offside trap to allow Percy in for Balderstone’s second goal right on half time. The turning point came when Kershaw’s thunderous thirty-yarder struck the inside of the post and stayed out. Within moments Eastwood had netted his second of the game to level matters and it was that man Eastwood again taking advantage of yet another defensive error to send Balderstone through with his hat-trick goal late on.

The day’s other surprise lay more in the scoreline as Rochdale Asia 2nds compounded AFC Royton’s poor start to the season with a 6-1 victory at Firgrove with goals from Maqbool (2), Munwar (2), Murekate and Ur-Rehman.

Weavers 2nds were too strong for a Horse & Farrier outfit that deserve full marks for their unstinting determination.

Whitworth Valley 2nds had more than enough in reserve to see off Rochdale Sacred Heart at Rawstron Street.

Goals from Collins and Clarke gave Fothergill & Whittles 2nds a rare away win at Sudden Carling 2nds while a Frost goal wasn’t enough for struggling Woodbank as they went down 1-4 at Syke 2nds who had Wilkinson (2), Freer and Hedderman in their goals column.

The final tie in this round pitted the top two from Division 2 and it was Sun Hotel who ended the unbeaten start to the season of Jacks House 2nds with unanswered goals from Harriss-Hudson and Dunn at Whittles Park.

There were only two league games played last Saturday, both in the Concept Filter Products Premier Division. Significantly Castleton extend their lead at the top to five points with their fourth consecutive victory, winning 5-2 at Hopwood Hall against mid table Asia FC. Castleton started strongly and were two up inside 15 minutes through Milne and McEvoy as Asia struggled to cope with the pace of the Castleton wide men. However, Ahmed’s 28th minute strike put the visitors on the back foot and it came as no surprise when Haque equalised two minutes before the break. Castleton came out for the second period with a new formation and never looked in danger again as goals from Kearney, Harris and a second from Milne gave them a comfortable and deserved victory.