ROAFL Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

In the Sartori Sharpening Sevices Premier Division leaders Wardle made it seven wins out of seven by following up their away win at Balderstone by thrashing visitors FC Bury Town at Rutherford Park courtesy of four goals from leading scorer Darren Smith.

Balderstone, meanwhile, recovered from their first defeat of the season with an important victory over second placed Moorcock at Firgrove. It didn’t look that way early on as Moorcock led 2-0 inside the first three minutes, and then 3-1 and 4-2 after an hour. However, experience is invaluable and back came Balderstone to lead with fifteen minutes to play and they saw that period out to record a significant victory. 

Elsewhere, mixed second half fortunes for Fothergill & Whittles as they led 3-1 at the break against Whitworth Valley before dropping two valuable points seven days after netting ten second half goals to condemn Rochdale Asia to their seventh consecutive reverse.

In the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division Two Woodbank and White Lion are pulling away from the pack and already look clear favourites for the promotion places.

White Lion were far too strong for Horse & Farrier at Firgrove, with a Blake hat trick firing them to a 9-1 win, but Woodbank’s double over the third strings of Wardle and Fothergill & Whittles sees them hit the top for the first time in their ROAFL history.

Leading scorer James McDonald was on the mark twice against F&W with Havens and Lindo completing the scoring.

At Firgrove, AFC Royton began strongly against Wardle 3rds and opened the scoring through King on ten minutes. Despite dominating possession Royton could not extend their advantage and slowly Wardle played their way into the game until a speculative cross from King eluded the Wardle keeper to double Royton’s advantage. When Cook made it three on seventy five minutes it seemed game over but veteran sportsman and committee member Ian Lawrence generously donated a lifeline from the penalty spot that Mossley gratefully accepted before Wild did eventually seal the points with two minutes to play.

It’s a very different tale at the top of the Matterson Cranes First Division as wins for Wardle 2nds and Whitworth Valley 2nds see them displace previous leaders Westdene, who find themselves facing their first real test of the season after squeezing past Fothergill & Whittles 2nds on penalties in the President’s Cup before slipping to their first defeat of the season against the new leaders at Rutherford Park. Fielding 2 and Collier scored the goals that moved Wardle three points clear of Whitworth Valley 2nds, who are second after hat tricks from Brown and Mycock gave them a resounding win at Goshen against Hargreaves, before following that up with a narrow win over Fothergill & Whittles 2nds at Rawstron Street.

Jack's House slipped up after Rochdale Sacred Heart sprang a surprise over the border with a deserved 3-2 win, whilst Balderstone 2nds lie well placed in fourth after their latest win against Hargreaves by the odd goal in five.

This weekend’s key games take place at Rawston Street, Matthew Moss and Firgrove as the crow flies as Balderstone travel to Whitworth Valley in the Premier Division, Balderstone 2nds meet Jacks House in Division One and White Lion face a tricky test against an in form AFC Royton in Division Two.