ROAFL Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

After a ten week lay off Fothergill & Whittles enjoyed a welcome return to ROAFL action with a 4-0 home win over Asia in the Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division.

Having been beaten in the away fixture F&W settled well on a heavy pitch and dominated the first period playing controlled two touch football that belied the playing surface. Ironically, however, it was the good old fashioned long ball that brought them the break through in the fortieth minute as Andy Law latched onto Crossley’s ball forward to finish neatly past the advancing Asia keeper. Without managing any significant recovery time Asia then found themselves two down as Ives punished them for failing to clear a corner from the right.

Without the ball, and on a stamina sapping pitch, Asia were really beginning to suffer, and though it took him three attempts Platt soon sealed the points with the game’s third goal. F&W continued to dominate and the generation game produced the fourth goal as the senior pro set up the youngster for his first F&W goal late on – Nuttall and Smyth the names in no particular order!

Elsewhere, FC Bury Town edged out Balderstone by the odd goal in three at Matthew Moss whilst leaders Wardle continued their seemingly untroubled stroll to a second successive title at Firgrove with another six goal demolition; Rochdale Asia the latest team to be put to the sword.

Undoubtedly the game of the day was also at Firgrove as Moorcock and Whitworth Valley traded blows, metaphorically speaking, and goals, literally, in an enthralling 5-5 draw.

Revenge is a dish served within seven days according to Westdene as they bounced back from last week’s home defeat to Wardle 2nds with a 6-1 hammering of the same opponents at Rutherford Park. Smalley 2, Walker 2, Matthews and Walton the scorers as Westdene closed the gap at the top of the Matterson Cranes First Division to a single point with a game in hand.

F&W 2nds moved off bottom spot with their second win in a week over Whitworth Valley 2nds; a 3-1 win achieved through an Andrew White double and a Delcio Santiago strike.

This game was switched to Greenvale and the somewhat idiosyncratic pitch was mainly responsible for an irritably contested game where the only individual who had to work harder than the man in the middle was the man with the fishing net… but at least the match ball is always clean throughout the game!

Hargreaves and Rochdale Sacred Heart consolidated their mid table comfort zone with wins over Jacks House and Balderstone 2nds respectively in the day’s other Division 1 games.

In the Matthew Montgomery & Co Second Division a young Sudden side gleaned an excellent away point at promotion favourites Woodbank as Carullo’s goal cancelled out Baxter’s goal for the home side.

White Lion predictably made the most of Woodbank’s slip with an easy win over a Horse & Farrier side that are keeping going, and remaining competitive, in the face of serious injury and availability problems whilst Rochdale Galaxy earned a much needed three points as Mohammed Omar scored the only goal of a tight game against F&W 3rds.

And finally… the day’s only reported hat trick came from Lewis Wild enabling AFC Royton to share eight goals and two points with Wardle 3rds.