Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Report

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

When Balderstone’s recent league game against Rochdale Sacred Heart had to be called off, Heart’s manager Tony Kershaw acknowledged that on their day the struggling champions of last season are capable of giving any side in the division a good game, this in spite of the fact that Nathan Agg’s side’s playing record stood at played nine, lost nine, goal difference minus forty two.

Wise words from a canny football man as Balderstone recorded that elusive first win in The Chairman’s Cup last Saturday... against Sacred Heart.

In a game described by match official Gordon Schofield as “a real barnstormer”, Balderstone prevailed by the odd goal in seven, a result that should have been good enough to earn them a place in a three way play off for the runners up spot in Group B alongside Hearts and Rochdale Asia.

However, Rochdale Asia also decided to throw the form book out of the window and, just a week after being thumped by Fothergill & Whittles in the league, recorded a 4-3 win over the same opponents to join them in the semi finals.

Sudden took charge of Group A in this competition as goals from Knight and Lawlor gave them a crucial away win at Walsden C&FC.

White Lion and Woodbank fought out a 1-1 draw at Bowlee that suited the home side much more than the current league leaders, who have just two points from their three group games to date.

Hargreaves qualified for the semi finals of the Alletson & Mitchell Memorial Trophy without kicking a ball as Chadderton Park’s victory over F&W Rovers sent both themselves and Hargreaves through from Group B. Eastwood (2) and Grant were on the mark for Chadderton as the overnight ground frost made little impression on the unforgiving natural surface of Clayton Playing Fields.

In Group A Fothergill & Whittles 2nd were grateful for a Toby Hudson hat trick at Firgrove as they overcame resilient opposition in Wardle OB by five goals to three. Harrison and Jorgensen completing the scoring for F&W.

The win would appear to narrow qualification down to any two from F&W, Mighty Dragons or Rochdale Galaxy in this group, though no side is yet statistically unable to qualify.