Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

As the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League season enters the final furlong the tightest Premier Division campaign for years looks increasingly likely to go to the final day after two of the challengers, Walsden and Woodbank, shared the points in a fiercely contested encounter at Firgrove.

Woodbank started stronger and Jamie Shackleton made two almost identically outstanding saves inside sixty seconds to deny the visitors the lead.

Walsden thought they had opened the scoring only for the goal to be ruled out for an infringement in the area.

They weren’t to be denied for long as a goalkeeping error gifted them an eleventh minute lead.

Walsden began to enjoy a greater share of possession and press Woodbank back but with Danny Brown not allowed to make an impact on the game a tight affair looked increasingly likely to be influenced by the second goal.

It was Woodbank’s Jack Fletcher who scored five minutes before half time, emphatically dispatching a loose ball beyond Shackleton from twelve yards.

The second half became a battle for midfield supremacy as both sides were forced into changes through injury.

As Walsden began to tire, Woodbank thought they had won the game late on, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul on Shackleton.

There was still time for Brown to go down in the area, only to see his appeal for a penalty waved away.

The final whistle gave both sides a well earned point.

Subject to appeal the top of the table looks like this:

• White Lion PL. 14 PTS 27 
• Walsden PL. 13 PTS 27
• F&W PL. 12 PTS 26
• Woodbank PL 13 PTS 26

Wednesday 15 April sees another vital top four clash as Walsden host F&W at Kingsway Sports Centre whilst leaders White Lion play Sudden at Bowlee.

In the day's only other top flight game, Rochdale Sacred Heart made themselves safe from relegation with a 3-2 win over Falcon thanks to goals from Gary Nash, Hatel Patel and Matthew Stott.

Horse & Farrier secured their first points of the season at the thirteenth time of asking with a 3-2 home win over Rochdale Galaxy. Jack Brady, Max Varty and Mathew Lever scoring the all important goals for a side who continue to epitomise the true spirit of amateur football.

The first Alletson & Mitchell Memorial Trophy semi final saw Fothergill & Whittles 2nds repeat their comfortable league victory over Hargreaves with a 4-0 win at Firgrove to set up a May final against either Chadderton Park or Rochdale Galaxy who meet this Saturday.