Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Rochdale Online Alliance Football League

Fothergill & Whittles took a crucial step towards a first ever Rochdale Online Alliance Football League Premier Division title last Saturday with a hard fought 3-0 home win over one of their closest rivals, Woodbank.

On a dry but adhesive Whittles Park surface there was no quarter asked or given as Fothergills and Woodbank went head to head knowing defeat would seriously damage their respective hopes of the title. Both teams were keen to get the ball down and play football and, with defences on top, the game became a midfield battle for supremacy.

Woodbank had early claims for a penalty turned down in a goalless first period, and Fothergills had a similar claim rejected early in the second half, as the game became increasingly cagey with both sides realising the importance of the first goal.

It came with a little over fifteen minutes left of the ninety, with Woodbank halfheartedly claiming the ball had gone out of play, as White’s ball across the face of goal was scrambled towards the edge of the box only to be returned with interest by Armitage as the Woodbank keeper was unable to keep the ball out despite getting a good hand to it.

The game then opened out, with half chances at both ends, before White’s attempted cross was handled and Fothergill's joint leading scorer made it two nil from the spot. With less than two minutes to play it was game over, though there was still time for Jorgensen to make it three, a scoreline that does not bear a true reflection of a game played in a competitive, yet controlled, manner throughout that reflects great credit on the players and management of both teams.

Leaders White Lion’s game against Balderstone was abandoned early in the second half due to a serious leg injury sustained by Lion’s Brett Warde. 

Walsden’s Danny Brown just cannot stop scoring goals this month as his third consecutive hat trick, giving him twelve goals in his last three games, saw off the considerable threat of Sudden at Kingsway Sports Centre and moved his side to within striking distance of both White Lion and Fothergill at the top of the table with four games to play.

Division One leaders Mighty Dragons travelled to Firgrove looking for three points that would place one hand on the championship trophy, and mid table Wardle OB certainly made them work to achieve their aim. In a tight game Dragons triumphed by the odd goal in three, through Mike Cahill and Andy Crossfield, and can now concentrate on their intriguing looking President’s Cup clash with Sudden this coming Saturday.

F&W Rovers completed their league campaign with a creditable point from a 2-2 draw with Hargreaves.

Falcon Seconds picked up a second consecutive league win against Horse & Farrier, whilst their first team were edging a tight President’s Cup tie at Chadderton Park by the odd goal in five to book their place in the last eight.