Rochdale Online Alliance League: Alletson and Mitchell Memorial Trophy

Whitworth Valley second team

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Having watched their first team fail gallantly in their efforts to secure the first of the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League’s knock out trophies it was Whitworth Valley’s second string’s turn in the inaugural final of the Alletson and Mitchell Memorial Trophy at Rochdale Town FC on Saturday (14 May) afternoon.

A brand new trophy, in memory of the outstanding service these two fine gentlemen gave to local amateur football over more than half a century, had witnessed several shocks along the way with Hargreaves making no secret of the fact that they were somewhat taken aback to be in the final.

All of which made Division 1 runners up elect Valley 2nds clear favourites to claim the trophy and both Fitzpatrick and Dench were through on Shine in the Hargreaves goal inside the first ten minutes only to squander both opportunities.

The games first major talking point followed in the fourteenth minute when Valley’s Connellan got himself in a tangle under a high bouncing ball and, as the lively Graham nipped in to take the ball off him, Connellan pulled him to the floor. Despite Hargreaves protests a free kick was all they received and the experienced Valley defender seemed more than a little relieved to have escaped further censure.

Within three minutes Valley were in the lead as Shine misjudged Jack Taylor’s cross from the right and the ball bounced in off the knee of the unsuspecting Crawford at the back post. Crawford had an immediate chance to make amends but shot wide and both sides traded chances with Graham looking increasingly dangerous for Hargreaves and Dench seeing his snap shot well stopped by Shine.

Both sides were struggling to get the ball down and play in the strong wind and penalty claims from both sides were turned down before Shaun Carey brought his side level with the goal of the game on thirty seven minutes.

Picking up a loose ball thirty yards out, and to the right of the Valley goal, Carey showed impressive control and strength to move the ball across the face of the area in spite of the attentions of Fenton and Connellan before turning to curl the ball into the far top corner of the goal with Valley keeper Lamb a motionless onlooker.

A lull ensued and, as referee Ian McDonald was checking his watch in the second of two additional minutes,Valley suddenly sprung to life and regained the lead.

Again Dench was the architect but he really should not have been allowed the room to work his way along the goal line before squaring the ball for Fitzpatrick to net from a yard out.

Hargreaves would have been kicking themselves metaphorically speaking for losing a goal at such a critical stage of the game and it certainly seemed to have had an effect on them in the early stages of the second half. It was all Valley as Fitzpatrick saw his effort tipped over before Shine decided to use his feet rather than his hands and Jack Taylor really should have done better following up. 

The Bury outfit somewhat surprisingly then replaced the impressive but isolated Graham with Ghassami as Worsley was cautioned for dissent after deliberately handling the ball and his mood wasn’t improved as his appeal for a penalty after going down under a challenge from Fenton was correctly waved away by the referee. 

Rhodes replaced Pountley for Valley and Hargreaves’ Kelly came on for Cowan but the game in truth had lost its zest as both teams tired in the testing conditions though Valley really should have sealed matters on seventy six minutes as a low cross was allowed to travel all the way across the face of Shines’ goal to Dench but he shot disappointingly wide.

Spensley replaced Lee Carey inside the final ten minutes for Hargreaves final throw of the dice but when the otherwise solid Bowe underhit his back pass to Shine the keeper’s momentary hesitation was all Dell needed to clip the ball over him to seal the Valley win.

A well contested final in which Valley’s extra quality saw them through but Hargreaves gave a good account of themselves in a match well controlled by referee Ian McDonald and his assistants Pete Chadwick and Ryan Bromfield.