Semi final day of double celebration
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AFTER a hard fought semi final, Rossendale are through to the Challenge Cup Final with a narrow 1-0 victory over a good youthful Charnock Richard Reserves.
Charnock started the match the better of the two teams playing early balls out to two pacey wingers who were causing early problems for the Rossendale defenders.
Despite the bright start, however, Charnock failed to trouble Rossendale keeper McLaughlin.
Rossendale gradually got their passing game together and they had the ball in the Charnock net on 12 minutes when Scott Wylie headed the ball into the path of Tom Hulme who held off a defender and fired past the keeper only to see the linesman’s flag raised for a very tight offside decision.
Rossendale’s game continued to be disjointed by the keen Charnock players, but with half time approaching Rossendale – for the second week in a row – found themselves a player short as the referee failed to see a particular bad challenge and Simon Nangle complained to the official too strongly and was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
A head injury to a Charnock player meant eight minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half which the ten men saw out comfortably.
The half time team talk had the desired effect as the second half brought a different Rossendale performance.
They were quicker to the ball and picking up all the loose balls and closing down the opposition whenever they got forward.
They forced three quick corners at the start of the half that were hastily cleared, but after ten minutes the breakthrough came when a long Joe
Haworth throw in was misjudged by a Charnock defender the ball coming off his arm leaving the referee no option but to award a penalty.
Hulme sent the keeper the wrong way with the spot kick to give the stags a 1-0 lead.
Rossendale now upped the pressure on the Charnock goal and a great overhead kick from Wylie was hacked off the goal line.
Rossendale continued to dominate the half but with a slender single goal lead, Charnock were still in the game.
Rossendale continued to get shots in at the Charnock goal but couldn’t add to their score, and as the game entered the final stages Charnock threw everything forward but Rossendale kept them at bay.
After five minutes of stoppage time the referee brought the game to an end with Rossendale going through to the final by a single goal margin.
In the final they will face Kendal United who beat Dalton
United 2-0 with two late goals in the other semi final.
With the celebrations in full flow news came through that Burnley United had dropped points in a 2-2 draw at bottom club Galgate which meant Rossendale had won promotion to the 1st division.
At this stage of the season it’s all about the results and despite the below par performance and close result in the semi final the day ended with a double celebration for Rossendale.