Rochdale Online Alliance Football League - Balderstone win the Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division title

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The closest Rochdale Online Alliance Football League title race for many years was finally resolved in the penultimate game of a fascinating season as Balderstone held their nerve to clinch the title after a two year wait.

Requiring a win to finally see off the challenge of long time leaders FC Bury Town, and late challengers Whitworth Valley, they were confronted by a strong King William IV outfit who took an early lead on the Kingsway 3G pitch, and had chances to add to their lead, before Balderstone began to make their possession count, mainly through the lively Kieran Bennett.

Two goals late in the half gave Balderstone an important advantage at the break and a third goal on the hour mark seemed decisive, only for the visitors to reduce the deficit within a minute through Jackson.

As the game became fraught, and both sides were fortunate not to be reduced to ten men, the pace and elusiveness of Sam Butterworth up front for Balderstone began to tell as Paul Caton’s side started to tire, and lost Liam Jackson to injury. A fourth goal settled home nerves and two more late on gave them the three points they needed and the Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division title.

Three days earlier Fothergill & Whittles 2nds had wrapped up the Matthew Montgomery & Co First Division title as long expected with a 6-0 home win over Hargreaves thanks to a Sam Lee hat trick and goals from Hyland, Gibson and Greenwood.

Another routine home win followed against Wardle OB taking their goals tally for the season to a magnificent one hundred and forty four with one league game to play.

Hargreaves defeat at Whittles Park was their first away league defeat of the season and they bounced back immediately with a 4-1 home win over runners up Sudden, as goals from the Berries, Dave and Ian, Seed (no pun intended) and Carey sealed fourth place in the table after a much improved campaign from the Bury outfit.

Alongside Saturday’s President’s Cup Final the one remaining league issue will be decided at Rawstron Street as Whitworth Valley face FC Bury Town with the winners guaranteed runners up spot in the Premier Division.