Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

The Rochdale Online Alliance Football League resumed after a three week festive break but a weather interrupted programme saw just three games played, all on artificial surfaces as the rain continued to fall.

Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division leaders Woodbank succumbed to a second successive league defeat, conceding five goals yet again on their travels as their lead at the top begins to look vulnerable.

Without a regular keeper the last thing the leaders needed was to lose a central defender through injury after just a quarter of an hour and White Lion took full advantage, opening the scoring through Monks in the twentieth eighth minute.

A defensive lapse saw Woodbank soon level but King restored Lion’s lead before the interval.
Further injury concerns saw Woodbank reduced to ten men for the whole of the second period and any hopes they had of mounting a successful rearguard action disappeared early with Monks’ second goal of the game. Harling scored from distance, via the underside of the bar, and Monks completed his hat trick sixteen minutes from time to secure a victory that sees Mark Horner’s young side into second place in the league.

Four points behind the leaders, and with a game in hand, Lion’s current outstanding form has certainly brought them into the title equation and Walsden will feel the same as they extended their unbeaten run to six games with a 10-3 demolition of struggling Balderstone at Kingsway Sports Centre.

Four goals from Danny Brown backed up by Brierley (2), Sutcliffe, Barker, Marrow and Steven gave them their fifth win in six as Balderstone continue to suffer with player availability issues.

The Sudden versus Rochdale Asia fixture was switched to the reinstated 3G facility at Matthew Moss and Sudden dominated the first half, taking the lead in the eleventh minute and crucially doubling that advantage on the stroke of half time through McKenzie.

As has been the pattern of late, Asia, having been almost non existent in the first half, came out like a different side and quickly reduced the arrears through Umar Malik. Only a brilliant save from Chaplin prevented an equaliser within a minute of that goal and Sudden found themselves on the back foot in a game they had been so in control of for forty five minutes.

With McKenzie a willing outlet, and an ever present threat to Asia with his tireless work rate, Sudden always seemed capable of a third goal and when it came it was courtesy of a quality free kick from Holmes with fifteen minutes to play.

Asia continued to push forward but with Iblal Hussain in outstanding form at the back for Sudden they held out to pocket three valuable points in their quest for mid table security.

Weather permitting, Walsden have a real opportunity to open up the title race this weekend as they host Woodbank at their temporary home for the season, Kingsway Sports Centre.

White Lion are without a game and third placed Fothergills are at home to Rochdale Asia.

The odds must be on none of the top four being in action due to the poor weather and the much awaited A&M Trophy meeting of Mighty Dragons and Fothergills 2nds must also be a serious doubt due to the overhead and underfoot conditions.