Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

As the weather relented the leaders in both divisions of the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League recorded victories of contrasting proportions to increase their respective leads as their nearest rivals were out of action.

In the Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division, Balderstone secured a nervy 2-1 home win over Woodbank with goals from Murray and Henderson.

Unbeaten at home all season, their last home fixture against King William IV on Saturday is yet another crucial fixture as the race for the title appears to be defining itself as a one from three option.

Whitworth Valley have moved all their home games in March to the 3G facility at Fearns Community Sports Centre in Bacup to avoid a backlog that could have a negative effect on their title hopes. Valley have played just three home games all season and will be looking to get as many games as possible in over the course of the next month.

Those games begin with the visit of struggling Fothergill & Whittles this Saturday whilst the other title challengers, FC Bury Town, host bottom club Star Athletic.

Star completed their home fixtures with another dismal scoreline that did not truly reflect the game itself and Rochdale Sacred Heart’s win sees them open up a significant gap between themselves and Fothergill & Whittles at the wrong end of the table.

At Walsden Rec the home side secured a hard fought 2-1 win over Oldham Boro despite playing most of the second half with ten men after one of their goalscorers Brown was sent off for two cautions. Sutcliffe added the second goal with Adams on target in reply for a Boro side gaining valuable experience of open age football in their first season at this level.

If ever Horse & Farrier should be given the option of playing on 3G when their pitch is unfit in future surely the answer will be a resounding no after their accommodating nature backfired on them with a vengeance last Saturday. Suffice it to say leaders Sudden recorded eleven different scorers, and no less than four hat tricks, as they opened up a five point advantage over Rochdale Asia at the top of the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division One table.

Fothergill & Whittles 2nds were 4-1 winners at Chadderton Park, with goals from White (2), Law and Gibson, and they are now just two points behind Asia with three games in hand.

Whitworth Valley 2nds are the only side with a remote chance of catching any of the top three as Ashworth, Hoyle and Leyland gave them a 3 - 0 away win at F&W Rovers.