HANLEY REACH SECOND ROUND OF FA TROPHY AS LEEK TOWN FINALLY ENJOY HOME COMFORTS
BUILDBASE FA VASE – FIRST ROUND
HANLEY TOWN moved into the next round with a hard fought 1-0 victory at Boston Town.
Hanley’s Jake Twyford turned a Ryan Campbell-gordon cross just wide early on before Boston struck the bar though Harry Limb.
Hanley’s debutant ‘keeper, Kieran Harrison, signed for an undisclosed fee from Kidsgrove Athletic, marshalled his new defence well and made an important save in a one on one with Fraser Bayliss.
Hanley scored the only goal of the game in the 76th minute. Louis Dodds clipped the ball over from the right and Reece Jones rose to head home his eighth goal of the season.
Jones almost scored again two minutes later but was denied by Ross Wooley, the same fate also befalling Campbell-gordon. Hanley also take £825 in prize money.
SANDBACH UNITED reached the second round for the first time in their history with a 2-1 win at Eynesbury Rovers.
Eynesbury had a goal disallowed for offside before taking a 42nd minute lead. A cross to the far post saw Leon Lobjoit head into the net from close range.
Sandbach drew level eight minutes into the second half. Leading scorer Bobbie Mcdonnell twisted one way then another to leave a defender in his wake and then hit a powerful shot past Josh Mollison for his 13th goal of the season.
Sandbach stepped up the pressure and Amir Hajri had a goal disallowed for offside before they scored the winner ten minutes from time. Callum Chapman was the man who scored it with a composed finish.
PITCHING IN NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE – PREMIER DIVISION
STAFFORD RANGERS are just four points short of the play off places following an impressive 3-1 victory at promotion chasing Whitby Town.
The Boro went in front on the quarter hour mark when a Tom Tonks long throw fell to James O’neill and he steered the ball into the net.
Whitby levelled three minutes later when a Marcus Giles through ball saw Jacob Hazel slot the ball past the advancing Luke Pilling.
Rangers were back in front in the 25th minute from the penalty spot. Jake Charles was brought down by Jonny Burns and got up to score the spot kick himself.
Stafford remained in control after the break and Theo Bailey-jones almost added a third goal.
They did score again to reflect their dominance ten minutes from time when Tonks thumped home an unstoppable free kick.
NANTWICH TOWN were beaten 3-2 at home by Morpeth, despite leading 2-0 at half time.
The Dabbers opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Tommy Montefiori was brought down to win a penalty which Dan Cockerline duly scored. Cockerline then had a shot blocked before Nantwich doubled their advantage four minutes before the break.
Connor Heath received the ball on the edge of the box, turned and after having an effort blocked placed a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
After the interval, Heath cleared an effort off the line before Morpeth pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute.
A Liam Noble corner came over and as ‘keeper Cameron Terry was crowded out the ball curled directly into the net.
Two minutes later and it was all square as Noble curled a free kick into the top corner from 30 yards.
The visitors, appropriately nicknamed The Highwaymen, stole the points with a 73rd minute winner. Another dangerous Noble corner was flicked into his own net by Connor O’riordan.
PITCHING IN NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE – WEST
LEEK TOWN finally returned home to play their first game of the season at Harrison Park on their new 3G pitch and marked it with a 3-0 victory over Kendal Town.
Will Saxon became the historic first scorer on the new surface when he netted with a smooth finish from five yards. He almost scored again with a good header that was well saved by Will Lombard.
The Blues dominated the game after that but didn’t score again until the 78th minute, when Tim Grice fired a trademark shot into the corner of the net. Dan Trickettsmith add a bit of gloss to the score with his ninth goal of the season six minutes later.
The result leaves Leek just two points off the top of the table, a position they could take over on Tuesday night when they are at home to Prescot Cables.
KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC were beaten 3-1 by league leaders Mossley at the Autonet Insurance Stadium.
Grove began the game well and took a 33rd minute lead. A short corner routine saw John Johnston play the ball to Alex Morris on the edge of the box and he rifled a shot into the bottom corner.
Mossley drew level in the 63rd minute when Jordan Butterworth hit a 30 yard shot into the top corner giving Ryan Brown no chance.
Both sides had chances but it was Mossley who went in front for the first time in the 81st minute when Jack Grundy finished from close range. They sealed the points four minutes from time when a good passing move was finished off by Andy Keogh.
NEWCASTLE TOWN went down 4-0 at Ramsbottom United. Ramsbottom hadn’t scored for five games but they took a 20th minute lead when Jamie Rother hit a shot from the edge of the box that gave Owen Mooney no chance.
They doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half when Tom Hartley weaved his way into the box and thumped a shot into the bottom corner.
Substitute Hugo Rodriguez headed a third goal in the 72nd minute and Sam Twist added a fourth six minutes later.
NORTH WEST COUNTIES – PREMIER DIVISION
CONGLETON TOWN are now four games without a win following a 4-3 defeat at Charnock Richard.
The Bears were awarded a penalty in the sixth minute when Arron Johns was fouled by Ashley Young and Darren Chadwick scored the spot kick.
Charnock were level four minutes later when Jordan Darr cut into the box and curled an effort over David Parton. The home side were reduced to ten men in the 33rd minute when Mark Wood was red carded for a late challenge on Jordi Nsaka.
Despite being down to ten men Charnock took the lead two minutes before the interval. Darr played a one two with Nathan Nickeas before finding the net with a far post effort.
Jordan Johnson hit the bar with a free kick for Congleton as the first half came to an end.
Charnock increased their lead in the 53rd minute when Luke Gibson headed home a Jack Gooden corner. It got worse for the Bears eight minutes later as Gooden had a shot parried by Parton only for Darr to complete his hat trick by turning the rebound into the net.
Congleton pulled a goal back in the 70th minute. They broke out of defence and Kyle Diskin’s cross was fired into the net by Johnson. That gave the visitors hope and Gary Roberts headed just over. They did make it 4-3 though with four minutes remaining when Tom Pope scored his 10th goal of the season. They weren’t able to force an equaliser though.
NORTH WEST COUNTIES – SOUTH
ABBEY HULTON United recovered well from an 8-3 mauling last week by FC Isle of Man to win 1-0 at Eccleshall despite being down to ten men.
The red card was handed to Fitzroy Butler in the first half. The Eagles then had a goal disallowed for offside. Abbey took the points on the hour mark when Sam Wytcherley scored the game’s only goal.
ALSAGER TOWN scored three times for the third game in succession, but were forced to settle for a point from a 3-3 draw at Ellesmere Rangers after conceding a last minute equaliser.
The Bullets opened the scoring two minutes before the break when Ben Darby steered the ball past Ashley Spittlehouse.
Ellesmere levelled in the 65th minute when David Howarth mis hit a penalty past Dimeji Willan. Two minutes later though Alsager were back in front when George West was on target.
Ellesmere squared things up in the 70th minute when Howarth beat the offside trap and found Niall Thomas, whose shot took a deflection on its way past Willan.
Alsager led for the third time in the 80th minute when West scored again and it looked as though that may be enough to win it. It was not to be though as Thomas headed home in the 90th minute to restore parity.
BROCTON also suffered similar late heartbreak to draw 3-3 at home to Cheadle Town having also been ahead three times.
The Badgers took a 21st minute lead when Jake Thomas found the net with a superb shot from the edge of the box.
Cheadle were level six minutes before the interval when Ryan Usher hit a shot into the bottom corner.
Brocton were back in front though 60 seconds into the second half when a Connor Haddaway cross was deflected into the net off Josh Borthwick for an own goal.
Usher tied things up at 2-2 in the 68th minute when he seized on a flicked header to place his effort past Tony Allsopp.
The Badgers led for a third time in the 77th minute when a right wing cross saw player manager Alex Curtis flick a header across goal and Regan Smith poked it over the line.
Adam Jones hit the post for the visitors before they snatched a point in the 95th minute when Enock Amankwaa chipped Allsopp.
ROCESTER faced a stiff task at home to unbeaten leaders West Didsbury & Chorlton, but put up a brave fight before losing 2-0.
West Didsbury went in front in the 31st minute when Ben Elliott sent over a cross from the right and Dontai Gabbidon nodded the all past Charlie Wood. They doubled their advantage six minutes into the second period when Elliott robbed a defender and rounded Wood before slamming the ball into an empty net.
STAFFORD TOWN suffered their third successive away defeat in going down 5-1 at New Mills.
It all began well as debutant Declan Arber scored with a low shot in the fourth minute. New Mills equalised in the 38th minute when Benito Lowe headed home a Daz Mcknight corner and they were in front when Jake Pollard scored with a 25 yard shot three minutes into the second half.
Joe Bevan added a third goal in the 75th minute before Lowe scored from another Mcknight corner to make it 4-1. Teddy Osipitan rounded it off.