Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The last unbeaten record in the Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division was ended in emphatic style last Saturday as next to bottom Sudden went nap against leaders Woodbank at Matthew Moss.

Woodbank enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges but were kept at bay by a Sudden back line well marshaled by skipper Gary Mason, and with Danny Holmes increasingly influential in midfield Sudden began to move the ball around as their movement off the ball asked questions of the visitors who were finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the threat of Fitz McKenzie out wide and Tony Knight down the middle.

It was no surprise when Knight opened the scoring after fourteen minutes and it was clear to the neutral observer that Sudden were totally focused on the task in hand, and determined to show that they are a much better team than their lowly league position suggests, a fact underlined by a second goal from Lewis on the half hour mark.

Woodbank’s best chance came soon afterwards but Taylor’s powerful drive came back off the angle of the goal and Chaplin made a fine save to smother the follow up attempt from close range.

When Mason had to leave the field with what looked like a bad knee injury shortly afterwards it seemed that Woodbank had been offered an opportunity to get back into the game, but though they continued to push forward they rarely threatened and seemed increasingly uncomfortable at the back with O’Malley an emergency stand in keeper on the day.

Mason’s unexpected return to the action as the second half began seemed to add to Sudden’s self-belief and they tore into their opponents with renewed determination and an abundance of skill that was rewarded in the sixty fifth minute with a quite outstanding individual goal from Danny Holmes; picking the ball up just outside the area before finding the almost non existent space to drift past defenders before rounding O’Malley and sliding the ball home from a tight angle.

As Woodbank realised the game was slipping away from them they began to lose some of their self-discipline and Iqbal made the game safe for Sudden with the fourth goal just six minutes later, with Knight adding the fifth in the final minute after McKenzie had beaten the offside trap with a well timed run down the right hand side.

The Woodbank management team were magnanimous in defeat, acknowledging that they had been outplayed on the day and reflecting that the defeat may well prove the 'wake up call' they needed as the season moves into its second half.

For Carlo Carullo and Aidan Finn the result, but perhaps more so the performance, were due reward for the work they have put into this Sudden side as they were simply outstanding from one to eleven and on this evidence will put a dent into other team's league and cup aspirations between now and May.

With Fothergill & Whittles recording a 7-2 away win at Rochdale Asia the lead at the top is down to six points and Nick Sunderland’s side still have those two games in hand.

White Lion moved smoothly into third place, a point behind Fothergill, courtesy of their second successive 5-0 league win against Falcon at Bowlee.

Lion began strongly, taking the lead in the fourteenth minute with a Harry King header from a well taken corner before doubling their advantage seven minutes later when McNulty also headed home from a set piece, a goal worth noting as the scorer is the first choice keeper forced into emergency defensive duties on the day.

Adam Howe was then played through to make it three and, as Falcon struggled to make any impression on the game, Howe was brought down in the box allowing skipper Ste Cass to score from the spot before Andy Bowe capped an excellent first half for his side with a rasping drive from twenty five yards.

With the game effectively over the second period was something of a non event as Lion sat back and enjoyed the majority of the possession as Falcon struggled to overcome the loss of key players prior to the game.

Mark Horner’s side now face two crucial games in cup and league, first up a must win game in the cup against Woodbank if they are to have any chance of progressing to the knock out stage, and then a trip to Whittles Park to face Fothergill in the league.

A statistical curiosity in the Matthew Montgomery & Co Division One as all four games were decided by the odd goal, the net result seemingly confirming the title race is between leaders Mighty Dragons and Fothergill & Whittles 2nds.

Dragons dominated possession in the first period against Rochdale Galaxy, only to be frustrated by a series of offside decisions as vehement claims for a penalty midway through the half were also turned down.

Goalless at half time, and with Fothergill 2nds winning at Wardle, Dragons really needed a positive result and leading scorer Mike Cahill gave them the lead with a looping header that just evaded the despairing attempt to keep it out by the Galaxy custodian, only for Galaxy to hit back almost immediately with a low drive past Attwood.

Dragons continued to pour forward, exerting increasing pressure on their visitor’s back line, but it looked like the end of their one hundred per cent record until Gibson struck a low shot into the bottom corner with just four minutes to play.

The win keeps Dragons lead over Fothergill at three points with a game in hand and the second league meeting between the two sides on the thirteenth of this month assumes ultimate significance.

Wardle OB remain third despite their home defeat to Fothergill 2nds and Chadderton Park move up to fourth after a 3-2 home win over Hargreaves. Eastwood (2) and Grant the scorers.

Horse & Farrier’s elusive quest for that first league point continues after a second narrow defeat in three games - 2-1 this time at F&W Rovers.

Attention turns to the cup this weekend with the two 'played one, won one' sides meeting at Kingsway Sports Centre in Group A of The Chairman’s Cup - Walsden C&FC v Sudden.

The picture is a little clearer in Group B as a draw for Fothergill against Rochdale Asia will see them through to the last four, though the remaining three sides in this group could conceivably all finish on three points. Stranger things have happened, though on paper Rochdale Sacred Heart appear favourites to go through with Fothergill.

Mighty Dragons are favourites to go through from Group A of the Alletson & Mitchell Memorial Trophy but any one of Fothergill 2nds, Wardle OB and Rochdale Galaxy need at least two more wins to be sure of qualification.

Group B will be decided on Saturday and if, as expected, Hargreaves prove too strong for Falcon 2nds they will qualify, meaning Chadderton Park would require a point from their game against F&W Rovers to join them but defeat would let their opponents in.