Saturday 13th April
North West Counties Football League First Division South
Brocton 3 Winsford United 0
Brocton entered the last Saturday of the league season with the promise of a league trophy presentation after the game. Brocton made four changes from the side that had lost at Abbey Hey. Kenny Devoir, Cam Osborne, Connor Haddaway and Morgan Payne replacing Josh Simcox, Lucas Green-Birch, Will Whieldon and Reg Smith. Winsford were still looking for points in their battle to finish out of the bottom two.
There was controversy in the 5th minute when Tony Allsopp raced off his line and appeared to bring down Reece Davies. With Winsford claiming a penalty, referee Abratanski waved play on. In the 7th minute, a superb challenge by Charlie King won the ball down the right. The ball was played across the box and Osborne was high with his shot. Brocton had a superb chance minutes later. King threaded the ball through the defence into the path of Payne. Brocton’s leading scorer attempted to round keeper Conor Harte, but Harte took the ball off Payne’s foot. Payne had another excellent chance after a quarter of an hour. Christian Blanchette’s cross picked out Payne in the 6-yard box, but he volleyed wide. Winsford were having plenty of the play and they went close after 20 minutes, Leo Tanswell Vargas’ shot on the turn, over the bar. Brocton were not their fluent selves, yet they were creating chances. Osborne cut inside from the left touch line, but he couldn’t keep his shot down. In the 33rd minute, a header from Ben Haddaway was cleared off the line. Winsford responded quickly and a cross from Ashley Leather was volleyed over the bar by Dylan Woods. Winsford wasted a decent chance a minute later, Davies chipping Allsopp but clearing the cross bar. In the final minute of the half, a shot from Leather was deflected for a corner which came to nothing.
Half time: Brocton 0 Winsford United 0
Brocton started the second half in a more positive vein. A snapshot from Payne was well blocked by James Phillips. Brocton opened the scoring in the 50th minute. A pinpoint cross from Connor Haddaway was met by Jake Thomas who towered above the defence and planted his header into the net. It could have been two three minutes later. Another superb delivery from Connor Haddaway was headed wide by Ben Haddaway. Blanchette was the next to try his luck, his shot well blocked by the Winsford defence. Whieldon, with his first touch after coming on as substitute, was inches over with a shot from the edge of the area. In the 66th minute, Brocton should have doubled their lead. Green-Birch won the ball with a fine tackle, Whieldon raced into the box and was blocked. The ball fell to Blanchette, and his shot was forced wide thanks to some fine defending. Brocton were now totally dominant. In the 70th minute, a sweetly struck volley from Whieldon was flying into the top corner until the impressive Harte fingertipped the ball over the bar. From the corner, delivered by Connor Haddaway, Kenny Devoir headed just wide. Brocton grabbed their second in the 75th minute. An excellent ball was played through to Payne. He rounded the keeper and found the corner with his shot. With Payne chasing the Golden Boot, could he grab the goals necessary to overtake Stockport’s Dan McLoughlin? In the 78th minute, Payne’s show was straight at Harte. A minute later, Connor Haddaway hit a stunning shot with the outside of his right foot which flew inches past the post. Brocton kept up the pressure and Thomas was just wide with another effort. Simcox forced a save from the busy Harte before Payne had another shot blocked by the defence. Payne thought he had made it three in the 89th minute, He finished superbly from Connor Haddaway’s pass but the linesman’s flag ruled it out for offside. 30 seconds later, Whieldon fed Payne and his shot brought out another excellent save from Harte. In the 2nd minute of stoppage time, Dylan Woods shot over the bar for the visitors. Within a minute, Brocton made it three. Payne rounded the keeper and from a tight angle, found the bottom corner. There was no time for another goal and unfortunately for Payne, he finished one goal short of the Golden Boot. The league trophy was presented by the NWCFL Chairman Paul Lawler, a fitting end to a remarkable league campaign.
Full-time: Brocton 3 Winsford United 0 Attendance:257
Brocton: Tony Allsopp, Charlie King (Charlie Marshall 60), Matty Bestall (Josh Simcox 69), Kenny Devoir, Tom Vaughan, Ben Haddaway (Lucas Green-Birch 60), Christian Blanchette (Reg Smith 69), Jake Thomas, Morgan Payne, Connor Haddaway, Cam Osborne (Will Whieldon 60)
Winsford United: Conor Harte, Adam Stuart, Samuel Cryer (Menny Rose 8), Ben Read, James Phillips, Leo Tanswell Vargas (Luke Duckworth 86), Ashley Leather, Daniel Kerr, Harry Short (Coby Austin 77), Reece Davies, Dylan Woods
Yellow Cards: Tanswell Vargas, Woods (Winsford United)
