Rochdale Online Alliance League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The elements continue to wreak havoc with the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League programme as only two games survived last weekend’s deluge.

Castleton extended their lead in the Concept Filter Products Premier Division with their narrowest win of the season over visitors Fothergill and Whittles at Matthew Moss 3G.

F&W dominated the first half with Crossley and Doyle outstanding in midfield and they were rewarded for their dominance with the games opening goal on sixteen minutes when Morton turned his marker and speculated from thirty yards. The home keeper appeared to have the shot covered but it somehow eluded his grasp to nestle in the back of the Castleton net.

With Bocock, McLoughlin, Johnston and Ives solid at the back for F&W Castleton were being restricted to long range efforts and could have gone in two down but for a redeeming save to deny Doyle just before the interval.

Strong words from the Castleton management appeared to be having the desired effect as the second half developed and an equaliser duly materialised on the hour as F&W began to tire on the demanding artificial surface. When they failed to clear a corner some ten minutes later the title favourites were in front for the first time.

Although the visitors rallied towards the end Castleton claimed their tenth league win in eleven outings in a game well contested by both sides and well controlled by Liam Browne.

In the day’s only other game Sudden Carling 2nds claimed their fourth league victory in their last five games with a 4-2 victory over fellow strugglers Woodbank.

Weather permitting there is an intriguing mix of league and cup action this weekend and the match of the day most certainly won’t depend on the weather to go ahead as Castleton entertain Weavers in the President’s Cup at Matthew Moss 3G.

In the Matterson Cranes Division 1 title race it would appear that Weavers 2nds really need to defeat visitors Jacks House at Firgrove to maintain any realistic hope of winning the title with Whitworth Valley 2nds likely to close on the losers with a win at Sudden Carling.