COMEBACK CUP WIN AND HANLEY ARE TOP OF TABLE
BUILDBASE FA TROPHY – THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND
NANTWICH TOWN produced a superb comeback to defeat Barwell 2-1 at the Optima Pay Stadium after being a goal and a man down. The Dabbers were rocked in the 21st minute when Prince Haywood was sent off for a stamp on Harry Bowers. It got worse 10 minutes later when Barwell took the lead. Tristan Dunkley laid the ball off to Kyron Stabana and he hit a shot into the bottom corner of the net to put the visitors ahead.
The ten men rallied though and drew level two minutes before the break. A corner from the right saw Dan Cockerline send a header against the bar, but Connor O’riordan bundled the rebound into the net. Nantwich took the game to the visitors despite their numerical disadvantage and went in front in the 60th minute. Cockerline sent over a cross that Joe Mwasile controlled well before firing past Liam Castle. Nantwich were comfortable after that and also receive £2,450 in prize money.
STAFFORD RANGERS were surprisingly beaten 3-1 at Bedford Town who are a division below the Boro. Bedford started well and opened the scoring in the
8th minute when a corner led to Rory Mcauley heading home. Four minutes later it was 2-0 when Callum Donnelly sidefooted Connor Tomlinson’s through ball past Luke Pilling. Bedford added a third goal in the 59th minute when Tomlinson went on a solo run before sliding the ball into the net.
Rangers pulled a goal back in the 69th minute when Joe Kenton fired home. Rangers’ misery was completed in time added on when substitute Tre Pemberton was sent off for receiving his second yellow card. Stafford earned £625 in losers’ prize money.
LEEK TOWN went out of the competition 2-1 at Basford United. Basford took the lead in the 10th minute when Aaron O’connor slid a Matt Thornhill pass under Sam Booth. The Blues hit back when Dan Trickett-smith forced Adam Collin into a good save. Leek levelled matters two minutes into the second half. Lewis Brownhill had a shot blocked and when the rebound fell to the same player he made no mistake with his second effort.
Kane Richards had a goal disallowed for offside as Basford broke and then they regained the lead in the 71st minute slightly against the run of play. Dom Roma made progress down the right and his cross was deftly flicked into the net by Thornhill.
KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC took their tie at Carlton Town to penalties after a 2-2 draw but ultimately lost 4-3. Carlton took the lead in the 45th minute when Tyler Blake fired home from close range but seconds later Grove were level. A cross came over and Kieran Brown headed a far post equaliser. Two minutes into the second period Carlton were back in front when
Arron Opoku set up Nathan Watson to score. Grove levelled for a second time on the hour mark when a corner was bundled goalwards by Anthony Malbon and although a defender hacked it clear the referee ruled that it had crossed the line.
And so it went to penalties and Carlton won 4-3 to reach the First Round Proper for the first time after keeper Jack Steggles saved from Brown and Alex Morris.
Newcastle Town also went out after a penalty shoot-out, losing 5-4 at Sutton Coldfield Town after a goalless draw. Sutton went close when Isai Marselia hit a curling effort just over but chances were few and far between. Sutton had to play the last 10 minutes with 10 men after they had used all of their subs but held on to force Castle into a penalty shoot-out. Both sides missed a couple and Castle led 4-3 but after Maxwell Chimenes had his effort saved Sutton won it 5-4.
MIDLAND LEAGUE
HANLEY TOWN went to the top of the table with a hard fought 1-0 victory over a stubborn Uttoxeter Town on Friday night. Reece Jones forced Uttoxeter’s Jack Tolley into a couple of saves in the first half before Hanley scored the game’s only goal on the hour mark. A cross came over and after Tolley had failed to gather it cleanly Louis Dodds was on hand to steer the ball into the corner of the net. Chris Dagnall headed wide and Aaron Cole also had chances to increase Hanley’s lead. The game had been switched from Uttoxeter at 24 hours’ notice.
STONE OLD ALLEYNIANS were held to a second successive 3-3 draw at home, this time against Stourport Swifts. After the kick off was delayed for 15 minutes due to traffic problems, Stourport took a 24th minute lead when Mason Birch rounded ‘keeper Adam Alcock to score. Five minutes later Stone were level when Sam Wilson found the net with a clever chip. Jack Bowater put Stone ahead seven minutes before the break with a shot from 10 yards.
Bowater netted his second goal of the game in the 64th minute to make it 3-1. Five minutes later though Stourport were back in it when Matty Gardener beat the offside trap to score. Stone sought a fourth goal but were caught a minute from time. A cross came over and substitute Edilson Antonio netted the equaliser.
NORTH WEST COUNTIES – PREMIER DIVISION
CONGLETON TOWN suffered their fourth successive defeat in losing the Cheshire derby 3-0 at home to Winsford United. Winsford took the lead four minutes before the interval when Oliver Mcdonough hit a shot from long range that flew past David Parton. They doubled their advantage five minutes into the second period when a good through ball allowed Dan Boden the chance to steer it into the net. Things got worse for the Bears in the 61st minute when Winsford scored again. Winsford were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box and former Congleton player David Short curled it over the wall and into the net.
Winsford were awarded a penalty in the 71st minute when Joe Duckworth was brought down and the same player took it only for Parton to make a good save. Duckworth also had the ball in the net in time added on only for the offside flag to rule it out.
NORTH WEST COUNTIES – SOUTH
SANDBACH UNITED remain in fifth place following a 1-1 draw at Cheadle Town. Cheadle took a 20th minute lead when good play from Enock Amankwaa led to Paul Sunderland firing the ball into the net from 12 yards. Adam Jones hit the post for Cheadle from a free kick but Sandbach came close to a leveller in the 52nd minute when Bobbie Mcdonnell had a shot well saved by Elliot Wynne.
Sandbach did equalise in the 67th minute. Matthew Pearson beat two men in the box before setting up Mcdonnell to score his 14th goal of the season.
STAFFORD TOWN are loving life at Evans Park, a last-minute winner enabling them to chalk up their fifth successive league win at home, 2-1 against Abbey Hey. Abbey Hey had won their previous four games and took a 17th minute when a Dylan Norris shot was deflected past Sam Amedu. Three minutes later Stafford were level when former Stafford Rangers striker Declan Arber hit a great strike into the bottom corner. Josh Wilson hit the bar for Stafford and Abbey had a goal disallowed, but Stafford won it in the fifth minute of time added on. It was Arber again with his third goal in two games, smashing the ball home from 16 yards.
ECCLESHALL ended a run of four successive defeats with a 1-0 victory at Alsager Town. Alsager’s Ben Darby had a goal disallowed for offside before the Eagles scored the only goal of the game in the 77th minute. Luke Lewis beat his man on the wing and sent over a cross that Scott Dundas steered past Dimeji Willan.
BROCTON came close to being party poopers as they led for an hour in FC Isle of Man’s first home game before losing 2-1. The Badgers stunned the 2,012 crowd, almost certainly the largest Brocton have ever played in front of, by taking a second minute lead. A corner came over and Ben Haddaway prodded the ball into the net. Keeper Tony Allsopp had a great game to keep Brocton ahead until the 60th minute. Stephen Whitley crossed from a corner and skipper Jack Mcvey headed home from six yards. The home side scored the winner in the 71st minute when Luke Murray hammered a shot in off the post.
ABBEY HULTON UNITED went down 4-2 at Ellesmere Rangers. The home side took a 26th minute lead when a cross from Joe Loughnane drifted straight over Dominic Kurasik. A header from Niall Thomas and a far post finish from Karl Bailey made it 3-0 at half time. When Harvey Howell made it 4-0 in the 53rd minute it looked like a long afternoon for Abbey. They fought back though and pulled a goal back in the 56th minute through defender Zak Hill. Dan Cope scored in the 84th minute to make the scoreline a bit more respectable.
ROCESTER’S scheduled home game against New Mills was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.