DODDS ENDS CAREER WITH GOAL AS HANLEY SWEEP PAST RIVALS MOTORS
HANLEY TOWN thrashed Vauxhall Motors 4-0 in the Northern Premier League West Division in what was popular striker Louis Dodds’ final career appearance before retiring.
After captaining the team on to the field accompanied by his two children, Dodds almost made the perfect start to the game when a chance fell to him in the first minute, only to sidefoot it wide from 15 yards.
Hanley opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when a long ball from the back was controlled by Dodds and played across for Sam Turner to fire home.
Two minutes later they doubled their lead when a left-wing cross by Ryan Shotton was powerfully headed home at the far post by Tyrone Ofori for his 13th goal of the season.
Vauxhall, who committed the cardinal sin of forgetting their kit, played in Hanley’s away colours and threatened in the 28th minute when Jay Harvey had a volley well saved by Adam Whitehouse.
Even though Dodds was retiring at the age of 37, there was a player in the Vauxhall side who was eight years his senior, former Morecambe and many other clubs’ striker Kevin Ellison, and he flashed a shot over the bar.
Hanley continued to dominate after the break and Ofori had a shot cleared off the line with Josh Green also having a shot tipped round the post by Jack Atkinson.
The game’s crowning moment came in the 76th minute. The ball was worked to Dodds on the left hand side of the box and he stylishly sidestepped a defender before placing the ball into the top corner of the net to much applause.
He thus finished his career with 96 goals in almost 600 appearances, more than half of both those totals while playing for Port Vale.
Hanley rounded off their biggest win of the season in the 82nd minute when a Turner cross from the left was headed home at the far post by Stoke City loanee Adam Watson, his third goal in four games.
Both sides gave Dodds a guard of honour at the end of the game. Hanley finished the season in 13th place, the highest position in their history.
NANTWICH TOWN rounded off their season with a 2-1 victory at Widnes.
The Dabbers took the lead in the third minute. A free kick was lofted into the box where Jon Moran knocked it down and Byron Harrison poked home his 20th goal of the season.
Widnes were level in the 14th minute when a James Steele cross from the right fell to Sean Miller and he steered it past Ben Garratt.
Garratt then saved a free-kick from Miller and Steele volleyed over as the home side pressed.
Garratt had to be alert to keep out a cross shot from Olly Wright, but it was Nantwich who regained the lead 10 minutes after the interval.
Giovanni Loureiro played a through-ball to Callum Saunders and he expertly lobbed it over former Nantwich keeper Cameron Terry and into the net.
Widnes were further hampered in the 75 th minute when Miller was sent off for receiving his second yellow card.
Even being a man down though, Widnes went close when Sharif Deans headed against the bar with four minutes remaining.
Champions LEEK TOWN ended their successful campaign with a 3-1 home defeat by Clitheroe, their first home defeat since November.
The visitors went in front in the fourth minute. Richard Baker clipped the ball to the right hand side of the box where Jack Massey fired it past Xander Parke.
After Tim Grice had a goal disallowed, Clitheroe doubled their advantage in the 11th minute when a cross from the right saw Matthew Clarke nod the ball down to Veron Parny, and although his first shot was blocked by Tom Reilly, he powered the rebound into the net.
The Blues hit back in the 20th minute when a good move ended with Grice rolling the ball home to take his tally for the club to a record 249.
There was no let up in the scoring as Clitheroe restored their two-goal lead two minutes later. Massey sent over a cross from the left where Louis Potts turned and drilled a shot into the net.
Clitheroe could have scored again early in the second half when Massey fired a shot against the post and Waqas Azam had an effort saved on the line.
NEWCASTLE TOWN were beaten 2-1 at home by Chasetown.
Chasetown took a seventhminute lead when Jack Langston headed home a cross from Luke Yates.
Ryan Shaw almost made it 2-0 minutes later, but sidefooted his effort over the bar.
Tom Jones curled an effort wide as Castle hit back but the visitors were awarded a penalty in the 61st minute. Yates was fouled and Langston blasted the spot-kick past Joe Slinn.
Castle substitute Nathan Barry had a shot saved by Bradley Clarkson before Langston almost claimed a hat-trick when his corner bounced on top of the bar.
Newcastle got onto the scoresheet in the third minute of time added on when Barry found the net with a superb chip over the keeper.
KIDSGROVE ATHLETIC went down 2-1 at Stalybridge Celtic.
Grove’s Kieran Harrison saved
well from Cole Lonsdale, but just before half time he was penalised for handling a back pass from Kyle Stubbs. Grove’s defenders smothered the free-kick, though.
Celtic did find a breakthrough seven minutes into the second period. A Michael Brewster cross was flicked on by Prince Anuniru to Darius Osei and he curled a shot into the net.
Grove were awarded a penalty in the 61 st minute when Aaron Bott was brought down by Lonsdale and Lewis Bergin thumped home the spot-kick.
Celtic regained their lead in the 69th minute when Matty Bryan whipped in a cross that
was volleyed into the net by Joe Edwards.
Ross Davidson and Nathan Morley went close for Kidsgrove but Stalybridge almost netted a third when a Bryan shot was cleared off the line by Stubbs.
Grove finished third from bottom despite a bright start that saw them win their first seven games, but they then only won three more.
In the Premier Division alreadyrelegated STAFFORD RANGERS finished off a poor season with a 6-0 defeat at Morpeth Town.
Morpeth took a fourth-minute lead when a Jack Foale cross was turned home at close range by Sam Hodgson.
James O’neill had a header from a corner blocked on the line for the Boro but the home side scored again when Foale tapped home at the far post.
Kaiman Anderson fired over for Rangers, but Hodgson chipped a third goal for Morpeth in the 37th minute.
Hodgson completed his hat-trick in the 56 th minute, converting a centre from Nic Ballado, and Stafford’s misery was completed with two more goals in the final two minutes.
Middlesbrough loanee Fenton John scored them both, first with a lob and then with a close-range shot that proved to be the last kick.