Rochdale Online Alliance League round up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

A good weekend for Weavers in the Concept Filter Products Premier Division as they overcame a tricky looking home fixture against FC Bury Town and then found out that nearest rivals Wardle had surprisingly dropped two points in their game against Asia at Hopwood Hall.

Weavers were missing key players as were Bury in a game switched to the grass at Matthew Moss and almost made a disastrous start when their keeper handled a loose back pass from Simm to concede an indirect free kick on the six yard line. Bury could not make the most of their opportunity or find the finishing touch to accompany several fluid moves and found themselves a goal down when Sands worked himself clear on the left hand side of the area and drilled a low shot just inside the far post.

The game was niggly with players from both sides having plenty to say to each other, and Bury having far too much to say to the referee, and the equaliser when it came was probably a fair reflection of the half.

The second half was more frantic, with tackles flying in thick and fast, but neither keeper was particularly troubled and the turning point arrived with just over twenty minutes to play courtesy of more ill discipline from the visitors. The Bury keeper decided to offer his opinion re the interpretation of the quick free kick law whilst simultaneously disregarding the rule re goalkeepers release of the ball, and when he was penalised for his error Traynor was on hand to convert the indirect free kick and restore Weavers lead.

Bury sensibly decided to substitute Kamran Younis as the atmosphere became even more fractious but at least Weavers third goal from Brooks took some of the edge out of the closing minutes.

Fothergill & Whittles dominated the first half of their home game with Roca on a very difficult playing surface and Morton shot narrowly wide before Crossley repeated his spectacular long range effort of the week before to bemuse the Roca keeper as he had done his Whitworth counterpart seven days previously.
With the Fothergills midfield four firmly in control of the game an early second half goal gave them an even stronger grip on the game as Wood fired home from the edge of the area.

The industrious Law was then upended in the box and picked himself up to convert the penalty and Nick Holbrook made it four with twenty minutes remaining after going past two defenders before becoming the third Fothergills player to find the back of the net from outside the area.

Chris Holbrook headed home Platt’s corner with Malik’s late goal little consolation for a well beaten Roca side.

In the division’s other game Jacks House edged out Whitworth Valley by the odd goal in seven to end a difficult week for the club on something of a high.

Wardle 2nds are now eight points clear of second placed Balderstone at the top of the Matterson Cranes Division 1 after an edgy 4-3 home win over improving Rochdale Sacred Heart at Rutherford Park. Hearts were 2-0 up inside no time through Barnes and Melia and having had a goal disallowed they then needlessly conceded a penalty to offer Wardle a route back into the game.

Williams converted the spot kick and Greenwood levelled matters just before the break. Not to be deterred Hearts were back in front early in the second period through Kershaw but two goals in two minutes from O’Sullivan and Large regained the advantage for the leaders and with no small amount of good fortune they were able to hold on to the final whistle.

Second played third at Springhill Sports Centre and it was honours even as Atkinson’s goal for Balderstone was cancelled out by Ashworth for Fothergill & Whittles 2nds.

Four goals from Lucas Forshaw kept Weavers 2nds in fourth place courtesy of a 5-2 away win over Hargreaves and Rochdale Asia are fast putting their poor start to the season behind them after a valuable away win at Whitworth Valley 2nds.
It was Valley who dominated proceedings for much of the first half but squandered a host of chances to add to Brown’s opener on the quarter hour mark and paid the price when Alwarfali equalised after thirty one minutes to begin the Brown-Alwarfali show.

Within a minute Brown had restored Valley’s lead only for Alwarfali to wipe out that lead just one more minute on. On thirty seven minutes it was Alwarfali again completing his hat trick to put Rochdale Asia ahead for the first time only for Brown to take the ball round the RA keeper as he seemed certain to record his own hat trick – only to then roll the ball wide of the empty goal.

The visitors then dominated the second period as Messrs Alwarfali and Brown stepped back a little and Kashif Rafiq sealed all three points for RA from the penalty spot late on.

It may have only been 2-3 but it was still an eleventh successive league defeat for Waggon Athletic at the feet of Castleton in a game marred by player indiscipline that will be considered at length by the management committee.

With Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2 leaders Bridge not in action AFC Royton drew back level on points with a 3-1 home win over Wardle 3rds thanks to goals from Atkinson, Hughes and Wild.

Moorcock stay third after a six goal thumping of Fothergill & Whittles 3rds but Sudden Carling have games in hand on both Royton and Moorcock after a 2-0 away win at Woodbank. 

At the wrong end of the table both Castleton 2nds and Jacks House 2nds pulled further away from bottom club Horse & Farrier with comfortable away wins at White Lion and Farrier themselves respectively.