Rochdale Online Alliance League: The President’s Cup

Wardle First Team

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Wardle and Whitworth Valley contested the first of the Rochdale Online Alliance Football League’s new trophies, The President’s Cup, on a rather cold and damp Saturday afternoon at Rochdale Town FC.

In spite of the heavy rain the evening before the pitch was in excellent condition but overhead conditions were not conducive to good football ; a rather errant wind and squally showers tested the control and passing ability of both sides throughout.

Valley started with the wind generally behind them and Andrew Foster opened the scoring within three minutes as Scowcroft could only parry his fierce low shot up onto the angle of bar and post before it spun over the line despite the best efforts of the retreating Greenwood to keep it out.

The early goal was just what Valley needed, having been well beaten by Wardle in both league encounters this season, but the lead lasted just five minutes as the Valley back line got their communication wrong, Pilling played Ryan Hill onside and his low finish flashed past Jackson from twelve yards.

Referee Dave Nightingale was having stern words with Coupers for a strong challenge on Wardle’s Ingham and Wardle appeals for a penalty for handball from the resultant free kick were waved away before Jackson was quickly off his line again to intercept a high ball in to the box and then collect a looping cross cum shot that was swirling dangerously in the wind.

As play switched quickly to the other end Marshall’s low cross into the box from the right deflected off the unfortunate Baxter straight into Foster’s path and the Valley number nine made no mistake to restore his sides lead on nineteen minutes.

One of the games defining moments soon followed as straight from the restart Wardle lost possession and Foster was played through on the left hand side but he shot straight at Scowcroft and the chance was gone.

The game was developing into an open contest in spite of the conditions with play switching from end to end as Whiteside failed to control Brierley’s ball into the box and then Foster eased Taylor off the ball to bring another good save from Scowcroft with Barry unable to latch on to the rebound when well positioned.
A fourth goal seemed inevitable and it fell to Wardle on the half hour after an uncharacteristic error from Jan Wormald. The Valley skipper was caught in possession and Whiteside skipped away to pull the ball back across the face of the goal for the incoming Hill to convert with ease for his and Wardle’s second goal of the afternoon.
It was soon Wardle’s turn to appear uneasy at the back as Foster outjumped Scowcroft to head goalwards only to see the ball cleared off the line by Dorrington and then the strangely hesitant Wardle keeper was relieved to have his body behind the ball as Halstead’s free kick slipped through his hands.
As half time approached the game remained an end to end affair with both sides trading chances ; Brierley was thwarted by Jackson and Foster shot over after a good ball in from Marshall before Hill squandered an glorious chance to put his side in front right on the half time whistle. Wormald failed to intercept Greenwood’s long through ball and Hill raced clear but shot wide when his hat trick seemed inevitable.

Both sides would have discussed the first half events with justifiable optimism for the remaining forty five minutes, with the respective two goal stars, Foster and Hill, confident of hat trick goals at the very least and it was Wardle who gained the early advantage in the forty eighth minute after a foul on the right by Halstead. The Valley left back was unhappy but he can have no complaints at the award of the free kick as no advantage accrued and so referee Nightingale rightly brought play back. Valley completely failed to deal with Danny Armitage’s low free kick into the box and Dorrington was there first to touch the ball across Jackson and into the bottom left hand corner.

Hoyle had a low shot blocked as both sides struggled to match the quality of their first half play and as Wardle gradually seemed to be dictating more of the play the Wormald –Hill battle looked increasingly likely to have a big say in the final outcome.

Both sides made changes as Wardle’s Williams replaced Whiteside and Rhodes came on for Valley in place of Barry and Brierley, Ingham and Williams all had goal bound efforts blocked as Wardle looked for that decisive fourth goal.
Valley were still very much in the game and Foster reminded Wardle so with a snap shot saved at the foot of the near post in the sixty eighth minute, and two minutes later Valley were celebrating what they thought was the equaliser as Marshall picked the ball up on the left hand side, came inside and around two defenders before firing past Scowcroft from just inside the box. Cue wild celebration because the Valley players had not noticed Assistant Joe Lowther’s flag raised on the far side from the moment Marshall received the ball.
A brief period of tetchiness ensued with Foster getting involved in a spat with Ingham and Taylor, the latter soon replaced by Sutcliffe after being caught in a tackle by Clegg.

Within a minute it was 4-2 to Wardle as Watson’s deep free kick to the back post was headed down and in by Williams despite the best efforts of more than one Valley defender to keep it out.

Hill was immediately replaced by Luke Armitage and Valley’s last chance of getting back into the game came in the eightieth minute when Foster headed over from ten yards when he seemed certain to score.

Luke Armitage and Brierley had efforts blocked, and Dorrington was fortunate to escape a caution for a poor tackle on Rhodes, as Wardle played out the final few minutes in relative comfort to become the inaugural winners of the league’s premier knock out trophy.

So it was cue celebrations for Ross Turner’s men but Valley played their part in an entertaining final that was yet another fine advertisement for amateur football in the town, and well officiated by Dave Nightingale, Tim Buckley and Joe Lowther.