Rochdale Online Alliance League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The match of the day in the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League came at Firgrove as top met second in the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2.

Visitors Sun Hotel started much the stronger and really should have taken the lead in the first minute though that missed opportunity was soon forgotten as Johnson did put them in front just one more minute in. Leaders Syke 2nds just could not get into their stride, wasting a lot of possession through misplaced and badly timed passes, and it came as no surprise when White doubled the Sun lead on eleven minutes. Syke responded as all good teams do and Andrews quickly reduced the arrears and before Sun had time to recover a needlessly conceded penalty was converted by Andrews and it was 2-2 with just fourteen minutes on referee Trevor Mayne’s watch! Sun continued to look the sharper side but it was advantage Syke on twenty five minutes when Wilson scored from the narrowest of angles only for Johnson to tie the game up again with his second goal minutes before the half time whistle.

The second period was no less competitive than the first with both sides having opportunities to take the lead, none more so than Syke with thirteen minutes remaining when Sun substitute Greenwood gave away another spot kick, but this time Barber dragged his attempt wide of the right hand post. The leaders were not to be denied however and Wilkinson scored from close range in the final minutes of the game to give Syke the win in an entertaining game between two well matched teams.
Elsewhere in this division Balderstone moved into third place as goals from Moseley and Eastwood gave them the narrowest of wins over Fothergill & Whittles 2nds at Springhill Sports Centre whilst Woodbank’s mini revival came to a shuddering halt at Matthew Moss against hosts Sudden Carling 2nds. Horse & Farrier remain rooted to the foot of the table though they almost got something from their trip to the lakeside only to be denied by a late winner for Wardle 3rds from the evergreen Bob Bentley.

Weavers 2nds remain top of the Matterson Cranes Division 1 after a comfortable victory at Firgrove over Sudden Carling in a game sponsored by Mr Byrne Junction 21 Taxis (Rochdale). Sudden’s uncompromising approach unsettled Weavers and it took the best part of forty minutes for the home side to gain a foothold in the game when Baron netted with a powerful header. Before Sudden could regain their composure Forshaw doubled the lead to leave the visitors reflecting on the harsh and unpredictable nature of our beautiful game as they drank their half time cup of water!!
It seemed as though their fortunes might be on the up as Mullin quickly reduced the arrears but Forshaw soon ended those hopes with his second goal on the hour. With Weavers introducing the dangerous Faulkner the complexion of the game changed in the final half hour and further goals from Forshaw, to complete a well deserved hat trick, Shepherd and Faulkner himself rounded off the scoring.

Jacks House remain just a point behind Weavers with two games in hand after a surprisingly narrow victory over Rochdale Sacred Heart thanks to goals from Heyes, Causton and Brown, whilst Hargreaves moved into third place with an equally tight victory at Castleton 2nds ; Carey and Ghessemi the scorers in that one.

Peels Arms produced their best performance of the season to defeat visitors Wardle 2nds at Derby High School when, after a goalless first half dominated by Peels, they took the lead through top scorer Rowlatt who rounded the keeper to score. Moore equalised in spectacular fashion for the away side only for Rowlatt to add his second of the game after Lomas had hit the bar to secure all three points for Peels, who were grateful to keeper Ankers for continuing after breaking a finger early in the contest!
Prestwich Town remain bottom after a 2-6 reverse to Waggon Athletic whose goals came from Bamford (2), Preston (2), Bradshaw and Lloyd ; a win that moves Waggon onto the fringes of the promotion race.

Perhaps one of the league’s elder statesmen can answer the following question – when did Wardle FC last lose three league games in succession?

Answers on the back of a ten pound note to the League Secretary please after last weekend’s defeat, albeit narrowly, at leaders Castleton who are now eleven points clear at the top of the Concept Filter Products Premier Division. Kearney and Jenkins scored for the leaders with Ingham’s reply in time added on too little too late.
Somewhat surprisingly as we move into November their nearest challengers are unbeaten Roca Juniors who comfortably saw off the challenge of Rochdale Asia with goals from Azhar, Nabeel and Sumner. Meanwhile Syke maintained their improved league form with a comprehensive demolition of Asia at Hopwood Hall. Highton fired Syke in front early on but Jawaad levelled matters on fifteen minutes. As the game became more physical Danny Kershaw, from the penalty spot, and Highton again netted to send the visitors in with a two goal advantage.

Altahir soon reduced the deficit as the game restarted but half time substitute Fairclough quickly made it 4-2 and from there Asia’s heads dropped and Syke disappeared into the fading light with further goals from Thompson, Traynor, Jordan Kershaw and Highton’s hat trick goal. Jawaad netted again for the overrun hosts and Syke may well yet rue their slow start to the season come May.

In “Europe” Weavers moved in to the last sixteen of the LFA Amateur Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Adlephi in the tie postponed the previous week and they will now meet LAL outfit Hesketh Casuals at Matthew Moss 3G on the 13th.
Our other survivors in this competition will not be playing on that date however, as the Hurst Green v Burscough Richmond tie was abandoned, and so Syke will have to wait at least a week longer to discover who they will play next.

In domestic cup action this weekend Weavers 2nds face Balderstone at Firgrove in the tie of the round before the Premier Division sides enter the draw and the outcome of the day’s three other ties are equally difficult to predict.