Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Week ten in the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League saw the second round of group matches played in both The Chairman’s Cup and Alletson & Mitchell Memorial Trophy and sixty two goals in just eight games played.

For the second time in three weeks Rochdale Sacred Heart put four goals past Fothergill & Whittles, but whereas in the league those goals earned Tony Kershaw’s side a valuable point, this time they were mere consolation as Fothergills scored eight in reply to become the only side in all four groups of the respective cup competitions to claim maximum points from both games played to date.

Platt 2, Healey 2, Armitage, White, Greenwood and Chris Holbrook claimed Fothergill’s goals, and a point in their final Chairman’s Cup Group B game against Rochdale Asia will seal a semi final spot for them.

Rochdale Sacred Heart must be favourites to join them as their final group game is against pointless Balderstone, and this weekend’s league meeting between the two will provide an up-to-date form guide for that December cup game.

Rochdale Asia are still very much in the mix, opening the scoring after just twelve seconds as an Omar Malik hat trick led them to a comfortable victory over Balderstone at Kingsway Sports Centre.

Group A is much less predictable as those teams have to play an additional group game and Sudden, Walsden and White Lion all have three points, though the latter have played a game more.

Sudden got off to a winning start as goals from Holmes 2, McKenzie 2 and Lewis gave them a 5-3 home win over White Lion, whilst a draw was the last result either Falcon or Woodbank needed after defeats in their respective opening games, but a draw it was as O’Malley, Frost and Jackson cancelled out Alfrey, McGlade and Sutcliffe at Littleborough Sports Centre.

Hargreaves appear favourites to progress from Group B of The A&M Memorial Trophy after a goal from Finlow secured them a precious point at Chadderton Park. That result leaves Park needing a point from their final game against F&W Rovers to progress, though Rovers are very much in the mix after Beninson 2 and Whiteman scored the goals that saw off pointless Falcon 2nds at Greenvale.

Group A is less clear as again this is the group with the extra team, though it would take a brave pundit to bet against Mighty Dragons after they opened their account with an 8-2 win over a Wardle OB side that has been in good form of late.

Both Mike Cahill and Danny Wilds recorded the classic hat trick, right foot, left foot and headed goal and Andy Crossfield scored the goal of the game ending his mazy run with a powerful finish from outside the box.

Rochdale Galaxy backed up the invaluable point they took from their first game against Fothergill & Whittles 2nds with a thumping win over a valiant Horse & Farrier side at Firgrove.

Galaxy opened the scoring, only for Damian McHale to level almost immediately, but Galaxy’s response was impressive as some absolutely superb finishing rushed them into a 7-1 lead after just half an hour. Farrier then reorganised, dropping goalscorer McHale to centre back, and their undeniable spirit saw them restrict Galaxy to just two more goals in an hour.

The reward for their determination came in the final minute as Matthew Connolly scored the goal of the game with an incisive run down the right hand side before fizzing a low shot across the face of the Galaxy goal into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

This weekend sees the first of two crucial league games in successive weeks at Whittles Park as second placed Fothergill & Whittles welcome Premier Division leaders Woodbank knowing defeat is not an option as the season reaches its half way point in terms of games played. Tim Buckley takes charge of what should prove a fascinating encounter – kick off 2pm.