Rochdale Online Alliance League round up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Leaders Wardle extended their lead at the top of the Concept Filter Products Premier Division with a hard fought victory at Seedfield over FC Bury Town. Ingham 2, Armitage and Hill were the goalscorers for Wardle as second placed Fothergill & Whittles crashed 5-1 at Jacks House.

Fothergills began brightly, keeping possession and passing the ball around to feet, but on the tight confines of Walsden Rec it was a difficult style to maintain and Jacks more direct approach soon reaped them dividends. After Whitelaw had made a fine save from Sutcliffe the duo found themselves head to head again and this time the Jacks striker prevailed to open the scoring. One soon became two as Sutcliffe was through the middle again to finish confidently and Fothergills were denied an immediate route back into the game when the Jacks keeper made an absolutely outstanding double save when a reply seemed certain.

The loss of Beddard to a family emergency further unsettled the under pressure visitors and Hignett netted from close range following a left wing corner before Birch made it 4-0 right on the half time whistle.

Another outstanding save from the home keeper heaped greater frustration on Fothergills and the game became decidedly tetchy for a period as players from both sides chose to revisit their childhood. A liberal application of yellow cards produced a mellower mood and Jacks concluded the scoring through Fold late on with Holbrook mustering his side’s solitary reply from the penalty spot.

The key to Jacks season always lay at Walsden Rec and there is no doubt this was far and away their best performance of the season. Whilst the Fothergills manager Martin Nuttall was very disappointed with his sides showing Jacks will take some beating on this form.

And so for now the days of the Wardle / Weavers one and two are restored as the latter moved into second place after a narrow victory over Whitworth Valley at Matthew Moss whilst at the wrong end of the table it’s two draws from two for Asia after a goalless stalemate with Roca at Hopwood Hall.

Wardle also top the Matterson Cranes First Division as the club’s second string demolished Waggon Athletic at Rutherford Park to move six points clear of second placed Balderstone.

Top scorer Williams opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute with his ninth goal of the season and with Waggon reduced to long range attempts the home side had taken a firm grip on proceedings by the break with further goals from Brophy (36) and O’Sullivan (45).
The floodgates well and truly opened in the second period with the highlight a nine minute hat trick from manager Greenwood after he brought himself on as a substitute in the seventy third minute.

Elsewhere a first win for Castleton at the fourth attempt as two goals from Simon Clark earned them all three points against Hargreaves whilst Fothergill & Whittles 2nds further dented Rochdale Sacred Heart’s bright start to the season as an Andrew White hat trick underpinned a 5-1 win for them at Whittles Park.

The day’s major shock in the President’s Cup came undoubtedly at New Barn as winless Horse & Farrier thumped unbeaten AFC Royton by four goals to one to earn a second round tie against Waggon Athletic.

A bad day all round for the top clubs in the Matthew Montgomery & Co Second Division as leaders Moorcock also crashed out in their away tie on their home pitch to unbeaten Wardle 3rds.

Confused?! Both teams share Rakewood but it was only the Wardle contingent who were celebrating in the clubhouse at 4.00pm.

A Carl Crook hat trick helped restore White Lion’s September form as they earned a trip to Weavers 2nds with a 6-1 home win over Jacks House 2nds. 

Fothergill & Whitles 3rds led 2-1 at half time before succumbing to four second half goals without reply at Castleton 2nds who now play Bridge after they beat last season’s cup surprise packet Woodbank 5-1 at Heywood Sports Village. 

And in the day’s final tie goals from Larkin, Whitworth and McKenzie earned Sudden Carling a 3-2 home win over Rochdale Asia and a trip to Whitworth Valley 2nds in the next round.