Rochdale Online Alliance League round-up

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The wet weather bit into the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League programme last weekend with four postponements spread across all three divisions and the cup ties.

Firgrove was unaffected by the rain and Syke moved into second place in the Concept Filter Products Premier Division with a second successive resounding victory, this time over Fothergill & Whittles who slip to third as a result. The deadlock was broken after twenty minutes when Highton was fouled in the box and Danny Kershaw dispatched the resultant penalty. The remainder of the half was a game of cat and mouse and Fothergills got the cream with an equaliser just before the interval. Within sixty seconds of the restart Thompson had flicked home Traynor’s cross to restore Syke’s advantage but back came the visitors with two goals in eight minutes to go into the lead for the first time. With less than fifteen minutes to go Fothergills still led 3-2 but then were submerged by a goal storm akin to the regular occurrences of last season in Division 1. Traynor (76) levelled matters and Sutcliffe (78) lashed home a corner to put Syke back in the lead and this time it was to prove a decisive lead as Forshaw (81) Highton (84) and Danny Kershaw (87) added the gloss to the finish.

In the battle of the basement clubs it was Asia who moved out of the relegation places following a comfortable 3-0 derby triumph over Rochdale Asia with goals from Altahir, Kaiser and Yasser ; a defeat that condemns Rochdale Asia to the foot of the table.

In the Matterson Cranes Division 1 Prestwich Town’s injury hit season took a turn for the better as two of their long term injury problems were resolved allowing them to field their strongest team of the season against visitors Waggon Athletic. The visitors scored first but Prestwich were soon in control, leading 4-2 by half time before going on to three points, 8-5 at the final whistle.

In the only other game in this division Peels Arms promotion prospects took a blow as they slumped to a heavy home defeat against Castleton 2nds who had the game’s outstanding player in four goal Nick Hargreaves.

Fothergill & Whittles 2nds are enjoying their best start to a season for many a year and last weekend’s 4-2 home victory over a struggling AFC Royton outfit sees them up to the rarified atmosphere of third place in the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division 2.

Second placed Jacks House 2nds slipped up against Wardle 3rds at Walsden Rec and Woodbank triumphed for the third time in four outings with a 2-1 home win at Nuttall park over a Rochdale Asia 2nds outfit who arrived forty minutes late and seemingly failed to recover their composure from there on in.

The visitors started with just nine men and were a goal down in the first minute when Gronow scored from close range and Woodbank unsurprisingly dominated the first twenty minutes play until Rochdale Asia got their two late players onto the field. Woodbank had the possession but the game had evened out by now and so had the scoreline when Munawar netted from the spot after a handball by a Woodbank defender after his side had failed to clear a corner effectively.

Three half time changes saw Rochdale Asia start the second period the stronger but the home side weathered the storm and came back into the game missing a golden opportunity to take the lead when not one of the Woodbank players could apply the finishing touch as the ball bounced invitingly in front of the unguarded Asia goal. Further opportunities were created and wasted but just as it looked like the game would end level Hallsworth was in the right place at the right time to earn Woodbank another valuable three points.

The only surprise in the second round of the Presidents Cup came at Rawstron Street as Sudden Carling put their poor league form behind them to earn a 3-2 win over a Whitworth Valley 2nds side who had lost just once previously. Borg, Lynch and Rushton were on the scoresheet for the winners with Fitzpatrick’s brace for the Valley in a losing cause.

The remaining two games went to form as Division 1 triumphed over Division 2 without even conceding a goal as Jacks House were much too powerful for Syke 2nds ; a hat trick for Causton in this tie and goals from Simpson, Murray and Forshaw earned Weavers 2nds a 3-0 win over Balderstone. In a physical game Weavers did not have it all their own way and defenders Grainger and Shepherd, along with keeper Stewart, were the pick of the teams on the day.

The pick of this weekend’s matches is the top of the table Division 2 clash at Firgrove as leaders Syke 2nds take on second placed Jacks House 2nds; victory for the home side will make their lead at the top a more than significant one as the half way point in the season looms ever closer.