Rossendale secure place in Cup semis
THE West Lancs League Regional Cup Quarter Final saw Rossendale travel to Premier League Chew Moor Brook and another brilliant squad performance saw them qualify for the semi-final with a great 2-0 victory.
After 24 hours of pouring rain the pitch was surprisingly in good condition, with midfield duo Will Foster suspended and Mickey Saunders not 100% fit the manager Ray Davies had to shuffle his squad bringing in Matt Kirkbright into defence and moving Simon Nangle into midfield.
The match started brightly for the Stags with early efforts from Tom Hartley and Scott Wylie being gathered in by the CMB keeper, going the other way CMB were getting the ball forward but the big striker was intent on putting himself about bringing several free kicks for the Stags which halted the CMB progress, when they did get through strong defending kept them at bay.
Rossendale gradually made their presence felt and started to control the game which prevented CMB getting forward as much and having to concentrate on keeping the Stags out.
With half time approaching the Stags took the lead on 40 minutes with a good solo goal a CMB foray forward was broken up by Mattt Kirkbright whose challenge got the ball out to the left to Scott Wylie, the striker cut inside past two defenders and fired low and hard into the net at the near post past the diving keeper to give the Stags a deserved lead which they held until half time.
CMB came out strongly at the start of the second half but their crosses into the box were safely held by stag’s keeper Joe Sipocz. At the other end Rossendale thought they had doubled their lead when Tom Hulme headed on a Joe Haworth throw in young substitute Tom Walker powered a header into the net only to be denied by a close offside decision.
This didn’t deter the Stags as they controlled the game causing problems for the CMB defence with shots at goal coming in from all angles that were either blocked or saved, but on 73 minutes the pressure paid off when Scott Wylie got the ball on the right he went past a defender and crossed for Tom Walker to head unchallenged into the corner of the net with the keeper stranded the young player was mobbed by his team mates.
The goal flattened CMB and with their tales up Rossendale pushed forward in search for what would have been a fully deserved third goal which nearly came when Wylie got clear, his cross shot went just wide of the far post with Walker sliding in just failing to connect, but in the end they had to settle for a fully deserved 2-0 victory over another premier league team much to the joy of the team and their followers, Confidence in the team is evident and Rossendale now move on to the semi final on Saturday when they will again be on the road to play first division Hesketh Bank (PR4 6SR) the match kicks off at 3pm.
The other Semi Final is an all premier league affair between Fullwood Amatuers and Vickerstown.
QUARTER FINAL RESULTS
Dalton United 1 Fullwood Amatuers 3 Vickerstown 2 Milnthorpe Corinthians 2 Vickerstown won 5-3 on penalties Hesketh Bank 1 Poulton 0 CMB 0 Rossendale 2