Rochdale Online Alliance League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Castleton took a significant step towards winning the Concept Filter Products Premier Division in their first season in the top flight with a 5-1 home victory over an injury hit Syke outfit on Saturday.

The home side took the lead in the eighth minute with a spectacular over head effort from Harris and doubled it more routinely on thirty seven when a long throw in from Milne was flicked on at the near post and headed in at the far by Holmes. Highton missed a chance to reduce the arrears before Helm put Castleton three ahead at the break.

Syke created opportunities in the first quarter of the second period but the normally prolific Highton was having one of those days and Helm tied the game up with his second goal just over twenty minutes from the end. Highton finally managed to find the net to reduce the arrears but Holmes then got his second of the afternoon to seal a win that leaves Castleton requiring four points from their four remaining games to clinch the title.

Meanwhile at the other end of the table Asia’s pleasure at a creditable draw against Weavers, thanks to goals from Al Tahir and Younis, was tempered by the knowledge that it will probably not be enough to save them from relegation, just as the points dropped by Weavers seriously damage their hopes of finishing as runners up to the champions elect.

In the Matterson Cranes Division 1 Jacks House made it eleven league games without defeat with a comprehensive dismantling of visitors Peels Arms, whilst second placed Weavers 2nds edged to a 4-2 home win over Waggon Athletic, a defeat that increases Waggon’s relegation worries at the other end of the table as Wardle 2nds 3-3 draw at Sudden Carling did little to allay either side’s fears of the drop!

Fothergill & Whittles 2nds are back on top of the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2 table after a comfortable 3-0 away victory over Woodbank. Goals from Alfrey, Clarke and Collins set them up for this weekend’s league clash with Syke 2nds whose own title hopes were damaged by their failure to fulfil their fixture with Balderstone.

Wardle 3rds moved into second place with a routine 6-1 victory over bottom club Rochdale Asia 2nds at Rakewood. After a bright opening from the visitors Wallis and McLoughlin struck within five minutes of each other and Wallis then added the goal of the game before the interval to leave the outcome in little doubt. Rochdale Asia had plenty of second half possession but it took them until the eighty ninth minute to register on the score sheet through Rizwan Aslam and by then Wardle had added three more through Wallis twice and Porter.

AFC Royton’s recent improved form continued as they also recorded a 6-1 home victory, over Horse & Farrier, and they cannot be ruled of the mix yet and their trip this weekend to fourth placed Sun Hotel will be a test of their credentials.

In the President’s Cup Fothergill & Whittles booked a quarter final tie with Asia with a surprisingly emphatic 3-0 win against a Roca Juniors side that has been going well this season to date. Law opened the scoring on fifteen minutes when he was first to react after Crossley’s header hit the post and Taylor missed a golden opportunity to level matters when he lost his footing after rounding the keeper allowing the Fothergills defence to recover and clear. That was more or less it for his off key side in terms of goal threat and two late goals from Platt emphasised the difference between the two sides on the day.

In the afternoon’s other tie Wardle defeated a gallant Sun Hotel side also by three goals to nil and now face first division opposition again in the last eight when they travel to play Sudden Carling at Matthew Moss.

Prestwich Town are through to the semi final of the Alletson & Mitchell Memorial Trophy after a 3-1 win at Rochdale Sacred Heart and Whitworth Valley 2nds earned a last eight away trip to Syke 2nds after beating Castleton 2nds by the same score line at Rawstron Street.

As well as the two intriguing Division 2 games this Saturday afternoon Castleton meet Weavers hoping to glean three of the four points they still need, whilst Weavers 2nds meet Hargreaves with one eye surely on the first v third clash at Walsden Rec between Jacks House and Whitworth Valleys 2nds.

At the wrong end of the respective divisions Whitworth Valley and Roca Juniors are both in need of league points whilst the losers from Sudden Carling and Waggon Athletic will be plunged deeper into the Division 1 relegation battle.