Champions extend their unbeaten run
WEST LANCS LEAGUE DIVISION TWO
ROSSENDALE 2 CHARNOCK RICHARD 0
NEWLY crowned second division champions Rossendale played their penultimate home match of the season looking to extend their unbeaten league run when they entertained a young Charnock Richard Reserves side.
The job not made any easier when through unavailability or injury only ten of the regular first team squad were available, goalkeeper Matt Moore and striker Dylan
Harris were drafted in from the reserves, but they still proved too strong for Charnock winning 2-0.
The match got off to a bright start with both teams forcing a corner within the first 2 minutes, but Rossendale started to force the pace and the first real chance came on 7 minutes when a through ball found
Paul Stannard and as the ball bounced he lifted it over the advancing keeper towards goal only to see a Charnock defender clear it off the line with a desperate clearance, but a minute later Rossendale did take the lead when Scott Wylie picked the ball up on the left he cut across the edge of the area past a defender and fired hard and low into left hand corner of net, the goal shook Charnock and for a time they struggled to cope with Rossendale’s pressure and on 15 minutes the stags doubled their lead when a clumsy tackle in the area brought a penalty,
Scott Wylie took the kick which was blocked by the keeper but the striker was first to react and fired the rebound home.
The pace of the game slowed with Rossendale controlling a lot of the play, but Charnock were now giving as good as they got going forward but wasting their final ball, and the half ended with a comfortable 2-0 lead for Rossendale.
The second half
started well for the visitors as the controlled a lot of the play in the early stages but they wasted two clear cut chances in front of goal by firing wide of the target.
Rossendale pushed on in search of a third goal to end any Charnock comeback, but they were met by an inspired goalkeeping display by the Charnock goalkeeper who rescued his side on numerous occasions with some outstanding saves.
He denied Wylie his hat-trick with a super tip over from the striker’s strong back post header, he pushed away efforts from strikers Paul Stannard and substitute Dylan Harris, and when a defender’s mistimed clearance looked to be heading into the top corner he somehow managed to claw the ball away.
Rossendale comfortably saw out the final stages of the match without any scares to keep the unbeaten league record intact. But fair play to Charnock who kept going throughout the match and especially their goalkeeper who was outstanding.
Also a mention for Rossendale’s stand in keeper Matt Moore who had a good safe game and a clean sheet as well. With the goal tally now standing at 102 league goals, a notable achievement for strikers Tom Hulme (not playing in this match) and Scott Wylie who have now reached 50 goals between them with Hulme on 29 and Wylie on 21.
On Saturday Rossendale play their final away league game of the season when they travel to Lancaster to play Storeys (LA1 4DN), the match kicks off at 3pm.