Rossendale return with win on road

CHIPPING ..................... 1 ROSSENDALE FC ........ 3

AFTER a six-month layoff Rossendale returned to action in the newly formed Regional Cup, with their 1st group B match away at fellow 2nd division team

Chipping.

In a game of two different half performances saw Rossendale’s policy of closing the opposition down pay dividends as three headed first half goals put Rossendale firmly in control of the match.

Any signs of rustiness after the long layoff were soon dispelled as

Rossendale started on the front foot from the first whistle with Chipping struggling to get forward two early chances went begging for the stags but it wasn’t long before the early pressure told as they took the lead on 12 minutes when a long throw from Joe Howarth on the left was cleverly headed over the keeper into the net by Paul Stannard.

Chipping did respond to going behind but rarely troubled the Rossendale defence their only real attempt at goal in the first period was a shot from outside the area which hit the outside of the post and out for a goal kick.

Every ball played into the Chipping area was causing problems for the home defence and on 25 minutes Rossendale doubled their lead when Jordan Hilton crossed from the right wing, the ball found Joe Howarth at the back post who headed the ball back into the far corner of the net.

Further efforts on the Chipping goal came and went with one hitting the post and away to safety, but as half time approached Rossendale got their third goal on 42 minutes when a Stannard corner was met with a powerful header into the top of the net by captain Adam McInnes.

Rossendale could have had a fourth when Scott Wylie found space in the area but his shot was kept out with a brilliant point blank save from the Chipping keeper.

The second half saw as a different Rossendale side as they struggled to string passes together and Chipping picked up on this as they tried hard to get back into the game pushing forward but without really troubling Sipocz in the Rossendale goal, chances were few for Rossendale in the second period, there were a few goalmouth scrambles when they did get forward but closest they came to adding to their score was a free kick from Joel Howarth that was tipped round the post by the keeper.

With 20 minutes left Chipping were given a way back into the game when the referee awarded them a penalty which was converted sending keeper Sipocz the wrong way, Chipping continued to press forward but some no nonsense defending kept them at bay, and with ten minutes left after making all their substitutions the home side were reduced to ten men when Will Foster chased down a through ball and as the keeper came out the pair collided ending in a lengthy delay and the keeper eventually having to be carried off, late chances came for Rossendale but failure to pass the ball to players in space brought no further goals.

The match ended with a 3-1 victory for Rossendale and three points in this mini league.

The other results in group B brought 2 wins for the premier league teams with Turton winning 3-0 at Burnley United and Hurst

Green winning 3-1 at Haslingden St Mary’s.

This Saturday sees the first of 3 home games in the group when 2nd division Burnley United visit Marl Pits with a 3pm KO.