Rochdale Online Alliance League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The top of the table clash in the ROAFL Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2 was always going to be a tense affair and this proved to be the case. Syke 2nds started the better side and for the first fifteen minutes looked comfortable and in control. It was, however, Jacks House 2nds who had the three best chances in the first half but squandered them all.

Syke are not top of the table without good reason and they finally took control of the game on 35 minutes when Fairclough scored to put them in front. Jacks House looked to have levelled on forty one minutes when the ball was bundled into the Syke goal from close range but the celebration was short lived as, after discussion with the assistant, the referee disallowed the goal for offside – much to the consternation of the visitors.

Syke’s slender lead looked in jeopardy right from the start of the second half as Jacks stepped up the tempo of the game and they were duly rewarded after 50 minutes when they scored to make it 1 – 1. Just a few minutes later Syke thought they had scored again but the goal was disallowed when it was deemed that Syke had taken a throw in that clearly should have gone the opposite way.

The next ten minutes were played at a fast pace as both teams looked to gain the upper hand and it was Jacks who took the lead with seventeen minutes left to play. Syke pushed more men forward to try and get the equaliser and this inevitably left gaps in their midfield and defence which Jacks duly exploited in the eightieth minute to make it 3-1.

Syke continued to push men forward hoping to get something from the game but couldn’t make any further impression on a very resolute away defence and so the gap at the top has narrowed to just two points.

Wardle 3rds join Jacks House 2nds on sixteen points as a Jordan Wallis hat trick earned them a narrow victory over AFC Royton at Rakewood. McLoughlin netted Wardle’s other goal with Lawton (2) and King on target for Royton.

4-3 was also the score in this division’s other game as Sudden Carling 2nds continued their recent improvement in form with victory over Rochdale Asia 2nds at Matthew Moss. Kean (2), Warburton and Preston claimed the goals which take Sudden into the comfort zone that is mid table.

Weavers 2nds remain top of the Matterson Cranes Division 1 after overcoming a two goal deficit to defeat Rochdale Sacred Heart at Firgrove.

The leaders were strangely uninspired in the opening period of the game and the visitors were well worth the lead until Weavers skipper Lucas Forshaw provided much needed inspiration with goals on 30 and 41 minutes to send his side in all square at the interval.

After a few choice half time words Weavers man of the match Josh Lythgoe began creating a succession of problems down the right hand side and it was hardly surprising when Baron’s deflected shot gave Weavers the lead on the hour mark. Good combination play between Forshaw and Baron led to Faulkner’s headed goal extending the lead further and hard as RSH tried there was no way back for them in an entertaining game in which they played their full part. Grainger and Shepherd were resolute at the back for the leaders who, though four points clear of Jacks House, are well aware that Jacks have three games in hand, and the two clubs league meeting on the 18th December will go a long way to deciding who has the happier Christmas!!
Elsewhere in this division Peels Arms leap frogged Hargreaves into third place courtesy of a 4-2 home win whilst at the wrong end of the table a second successive win for Prestwich Town, 2-1 at Castleton 2nds, sees them continue their climb away from the foot of the table ; Gledhill and Wild with the all important goals for them. Wardle 2nds have replaced them after a disappointing home reverse at the hands of Sudden Carling who had Beasley (2) and Rushden to thank for the goals that gave them just their second league victory of the season.

The Castleton road show nearly became bogged down in the Firgrove mud as a determined effort from bottom club Rochdale Asia nearly resulted in the leaders dropping their first points of the season. Eventually, goals from Harris, Holmes, Kearney and O’Neill extended their lead at the top to a daunting twelve points and in many ways it is disappointing that their top of the table clash with a resurgent Syke is off on Saturday as Syke now have to play their rearranged LFA County Cup game against Hurst Green at Firgrove.

The visitors were awarded their third round tie by the competition committee and are the current holders of the trophy so an intriguing tie is in prospect and kicks off at 1.30.

Weavers are already through to the quarter finals after a thrilling 5-4 home victory over LAL outfit Hesketh Casuals and they will now meet the winners of the postponed tie between Leyland Red Rose and Blessed Sacrement at home on December 4th.