Rochdale Online Alliance League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Week 26 of the current Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Season will probably be remembered more for the significance of the action off the field than any of the results on it unfortunately.

Rarely can a side have gained so little pleasure from a 9-1 victory than Fothergill & Whittles 2nds as those three points were more than negated by the loss of six due to Syke 2nds untimely resignation from the league only a handful of weeks from the end of the campaign.

On the field doubles from Craw and Collins sent Fothergills in 4-1 up at the break, Farrier’s reply coming from a hotly disputed penalty. The second half followed the same pattern as the home side dominated without ever having to change up from cruise control and doubles from Alfrey and Clark plus another for McLoughlin emphasised the gulf between the sides.

The readjusted table means Fothergills can now reach a maximum of thirty eight points and in effect Balderstone will clinch the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2 title with three wins from their final six league games. Ironically, on a day when they were the only real beneficiaries from Syke’s demise, having lost to them earlier in the season, they slipped to only their “second” league defeat of the season at home to Jacks House 2nds.

AFC Royton moved up into third place with the narrowest of wins over Woodbank,thanks to a goal from Ogden, while Sun Hotel and Sudden Carling 2nds cancelled each other out, and probably each other’s title chances, with a 1-1 draw at Whittle Park.

A similarly complicated scenario in the Concept Filter Products Premier Division as Weavers slipped to a shock 5-1 away defeat at relegation threatened Whitworth Valley. Should Weavers bounce back against bottom club Rochdale Asia this weekend then a play off for the runners up spot against Wardle is almost inevitable.

In the day’s only other top flight game Roca’s mathematical chances of second spot ended with a 2-2 home draw against Syke in an unpalatable affair.

Another slip up by Jacks House in the Matterson Cranes Division 1 title race will give renewed hope to both Weavers 2nds and Whitworth Valley 2nds. McGrath scored the first and last goals of the first half at Walsden Rec for visitors Prestwich Town but unfortunately for them there were three Jacks goals sandwiched in between!! Not to be outdone McGrath completed his hat trick early in the second period only for Sutcliffe to net what appeared to be the winner for Jacks three minutes from time. In time added on Hall curled in a superb equaliser from all of thirty yards to deny the home side and put a big smile on the faces of those watching from the not in action title rivals.

Elsewhere, there were comfortable wins for mid table outfits Castleton 2nds and Wardle 2nds over Hargreaves and Rochdale Sacred Heart respectively.

In the President’s Cup Fothergill & Whittles reached their third semi final in as many years with a 1-0 win over Asia on the 3G at Hopwood Hall. A reorganised F&W side missing seven regulars were more than matched in the first period by an Asia side playing the better football and dominating possession. Key to success however is the taking of those chances while in the ascendancy and Asia didn’t do so, and a tactically reorganised F&W were a different second half proposition. Still extra time loomed until Law was brought down with eight minutes to play and referee Kevin Howson pointed to the spot. Law picked himself up, dusted himself down and dispatched the penalty to send his side through to a last four tie against the winners of the outstanding Whitworth Valley v Wardle 3rds tie, which will be played on 23 April.

Which means an all Wardle final is still possible after the club’s 1st team negotiated a potentially tricky tie at Sudden Carling thanks to goals from Smith (2), Whiteside, Hill and Brierley ; 5-3 the final score.

And finally…the draw for the semi finals of the Alletson & Mitchell Memorial Trophy also took place at the Clubs Meeting last Thursday and Woodbank will face Whitworth Valley 2nds in one tie whilst the other will be between Prestwich Town and the winners of the outstanding Horse & Farrier or Hargreaves tie ; that game going ahead on 16 April.