Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

There are new leaders in the Sartori Sharpening Services Premier Division as White Lion overcame Rochdale Asia in a bad tempered affair at Kingsway Sports Centre whilst long term leaders Woodbank were without a league game for the sixth week running.

Referee Tim Buckley could have done with the proverbial set of extra eyes as he dismissed no less than four players in a game that was ultimately decided by Asia’s lack of self discipline. Cass gave Lion the lead only for a needlessly conceded penalty to gift the home side an equaliser before the break.

Both sides were down to ten men by the time goals from Whalley and King edged Lion into a 3-2 lead, and just as Asia were looking likely to level matters a second dismissal all but paid to their hopes.

Cass sealed matters from the spot in the last minute after the Asia keeper became his team’s third dismissal by bringing down King, and the win takes Lion two points clear of the chasing pack.

Two of that pack shared the points in a tense affair at Whittles Park as Fothergill and Walsden shared six goals. White (2) and Platt scored the goals that maintained Fothergill's unbeaten home record, whilst Brown (2) and Marrow ensured Walsden remain four points behind Lion with two games in hand.

Sudden’s last defeat was a four goal thumping at Rochdale Sacred Heart back in mid November but two Danny Holmes goals gave them a measure of revenge, and a sixth consecutive victory in league and cup since then. Michael Bradley replied for a Heart’s side that in direct contrast has not picked up a single point since that Sudden victory, and is slipping ominously into a relegation dogfight with Rochdale Asia.

Just seven days after putting a hole in White Lion’s title ambitions Falcon would have expected to reinforce their mid table position with a routine victory over pointless bottom club Balderstone at Littleborough Sports Centre. Not so, as goals from Kelly (2), Smeaton (2) and Faulkner earned Nathan Agg’s side their first points of the season by the odd goal in nine.

Matthew Montgomery & Co First Division leaders Mighty Dragons experienced the most frustrating of afternoons after a wasted trip across Greater Manchester to Redvales to find the game had been called off the previous evening. The home side, the referee and a playable surface awaited them but all to no avail, and the league will be looking into the circumstances behind such an unsatisfactory situation.

To compound matters both of their title challengers took the opportunity to record victories, and close the gap on Dragons, though it remains unlikely that the Hollinwood based outfit will let such a position of strength slip in the remaining two months of the league season.

Chadderton Park remain second after a routine 6-1 home win over Horse & Farrier at Clayton - Eastwood (3), Ogden, Grant and Limmack with their goals. With just two away games remaining, runners up seems a much more realistic ambition, particularly as they have to play Fothergill & Whittles 2nds and Fothergill still have to go to Mighty Dragons.

Fothergill enjoyed a rather more comfortable victory over Rochdale Galaxy than the 4-3 scoreline would suggest and it was a much needed win after their recent slip up.

Sam Duggan pounced on a loose ball in the Galaxy area to fire home emphatically after just four minutes. Galaxy were back on terms fifteen minutes later as Sarwar deftly employed the elements to curl a left wing corner directly into the top corner of Taylor’s net.

Almost immediately Chris Holbrook restored Fothergill's lead with a carbon copy of Duggan’s goal and the title chasers seemed content to protect their lead and play out the half against the strong wind, a decision that was to pay dividends as they moved into a 4-1 lead inside twenty second half minutes.

On the hour mark Collins matched Sarwar’s abilities from the corner flag.

Hyland made it 4-1 by lifting the ball over the Galaxy defence and into the bottom left hand corner of the goal.

Porter’s goal on eighty minutes seemed nothing more than consolation but when Sarwar added his second, and Galaxy’s third, in the first minute of additional time Paul Bamford’s side had to endure an uncomfortable couple of minutes before the final whistle sounded.

A host of crucial games in league and cups this weekend as White Lion travel to Sudden in the top flight and Chadderton Park face that crucial away fixture at Fothergill 2nds in Division One.

Walsden really need a win at Falcon in the Chairman’s Cup.

A draw would suffice for Rochdale Galaxy at Mighty Dragons in the A&M Memorial Trophy.

A win over Rochdale Asia in the Preliminary Round of the President’s Cup might just put Woodbank’s season back on track.