Saturday 30th March
North West Counties Football League First Division South
Brocton 4 Cammell Laird 1907 1
Brocton made one change from the side that won at Abbey Hulton in midweek. Ben Haddaway returned to the starting line-up to replace the unavailable Charlie King. Adam Weldon returned to the matchday squad as one of the replacements. Cammell Laird came into the game on a good run of away results.
Brocton were the first to show when Morgan Payne wriggled into the penalty area, but he was marshalled away from goal by the resolute Cammel Laird defence. The Haddaway brothers combined in the 8th minute, Ben sending Connor wide on the right but the cross to the far post was cleared. A resurgent Connor Haddaway went close minutes later, Excellent approach play picked out the skipper and his drive was inches over the bar. Cammell Laird showed they were not here to make up the numbers when James Farr was sent through on goal, but his effort was straight at Tony Allsopp. Brocton took the lead in the 15th minute. A free kick from Connor Haddaway was headed into the path of Christian Blanchette by Tom Vaughan and the midfielder finished superbly from a tight angle. Cammell Laird could have been reduced to ten men in the 19th minute when Greg Drummond aimed a headbutt at Ben Haddaway, but it wasn’t seen by the officials. Blanchette had a volley blocked midway through the half. A misplaced header from Josh Simcox was into the path of Kieran Hamm. He raced through on goal and forced Allsopp into a fine save. Simcox went close at the other end on the half hour mark, his snapshot just wide of the near post. Brocton doubled their lead a minute later. A wonderful cross from the left from Blanchette, picked out the onrushing Ben Haddaway in the 6-yard box and he finished with aplomb. With everyone expecting Brocton to settle and run away with things, Cammell Laird had other ideas and they pulled a goal back in the 34th minute. A long ball forward was poorly dealt with by the Brocton defence and a corner conceded. The corner was straight into the 6-yard box where Hamm rose unmarked, and he planted his header into the net. Brocton almost had a third straight from the kick off. A long clearance from Allsopp bounced up and almost caught out Casey Shakeshaft but he grabbed the ball at the third attempt with two Brocton players waiting for the tap in. In the 37th minute, a header from Ben Haddaway was gathered under the bar by Shakeshaft. Brocton should have scored their third goal a minute before half time. Whieldon crossed into the box and over the Cammell Laird defence. Ben Haddaway got on the end of the cross but put his shot wide when he should have hit the target.
Half-time: Brocton 2 Cammell Laird 1907 1
Cammell Laird began the second half well and truly in the game. Ben Haddaway had a shot blocked for a corner, but it was the visitors who were having more possession. In the 51st minute, Allsopp was caught in possession and his clearance hit Haydn Cooper and luckily went out for a goal kick. Leading scorer Payne was being kept relatively quiet by the visitors but in the 55th minute, Shakeshaft had to race off his line to clear as Payne bore down on goal. Brocton began to take control again. On the hour mark, Payne spun away from his defender, ran forward, and sent in a superb low cross which Shakeshaft managed to pluck off the feet of Blanchette. Cammell Laird broke quickly, and Kenny Devoir cleared off the line from a shot from the impressive Farr. Jake Thomas tried his luck from distance with Shakeshaft in line to hold the shot. Brocton grabbed their third in the 71st minute and the release of emotion was palpable around the ground. Payne shot on the turn, beating Shakeshaft but hitting the post. The ball came back out and fell invitingly for Whieldon who hammered it into the net. While Cammell Laird didn’t capitulate, that third goal ended their realistic hopes of a comeback. In the 80th minute, Lucas Green-Birch was sent clear in acres of space down the right, but his cross was overhit. Brocton made sure of the three points two minutes from time. Another superb delivery From Whieldon was flicked home by Cam Osborne as Brocton moved to within three points of the title.
Full-Time: Brocton 4 Cammell Laird 1907 1 Attendance:145
Brocton: Tony Allsopp, Josh Simcox (Adam Weldon 64), Matty Bestall (Charlie Marshall 76), Kenny Devoir, Tom Vaughan, Ben Haddaway, Will Whieldon, Jake Thomas (Lucas Green-Birch 72), Morgan Payne (Seb Conaghan 84), Connor Haddaway, Christian Blanchette (Cam Osborne 67)
Cammell Laird 1907: Casey Shakeshaft, Dominic Hoppe, Greg Drummond, Benjamin Graham, Marcus James (Joseph Caswell 62), Kieran Cartwright (Jonathan Bravo Pinto 77), James Farr (Michael Speed 72), Ryan Smith, Kieran Hamm (Richard Ley 71), Haydn Cooper, James Eaton (Jack Darlington 64)
Yellow Cards: Simcox, Payne, Osborne (Brocton); Smith, Hamm (Cammell Laird)
