Tuesday 21st March
North West Counties Football League First Division South
Cheadle Town 5 Brocton 2
Brocton were forced into more changes following Saturday’s abandoned game at home to Wythenshawe Amateurs. Goalkeeper Tony Allsopp began his three match suspension being replaced by Jonty Kearns. Jack Bostock, making his England Schools debut on Friday in Ireland, was unavailable due to his international call up which meant a start for Will Finlay. With both sides currently in play-off places, points were vital if the season was to be extended into late April.
The game began in torrential rain with pitch conditions deteriorating noticeably. Brocton had a great chance to take the lead after just a minute. Charlie King found space inside the penalty area but chose to pass rather than shoot and the ball was too short for Finlay to capitalise. They were made to pay when Cheadle took the lead two minutes later. Thomas Murray played the ball into the path of Ryan Usher and he found the bottom corner with an excellent finish. The home side doubled their lead in the 8th minute. A right wing cross from Adam Jones picked out the unmarked Matthew Bryan in the 6 yard box and he cushioned a header into the empty net. Bryan turned provider as Cheadle made it three in the 11th minute. Bryan advanced down the left and crossed low for Usher to tap in to the net. The rampant home side almost made it four on the quarter hour mark. Callum McGlynn played the ball forward, Bryan flicked it goalwards forcing Kearns into a flying save. Brocton pulled a goal back in the 20th minute. Reg Smith crossed deep from the left; Adam Weldon turned it back into the 6-yard box for Connor Haddaway to tap home. The goal gave Brocton a lift but the home side continued to dominate. A low cross from Jordan Lazenbury was well cut-out by Kearns under pressure from Bryan. Kearns needed treatment before he carried on. In the 31st minute, a quick break from Cheadle sent Bryan clear and his fierce shot was well saved by Kearns. Bryan was proving to be a real thorn in the side of the Brocton defence, and after beating Tom Vaughan on the right, he cut inside and sent his shot over the bar. With half-time approaching, a ball was played over the top of Jake Triggs, cut back into the area where Lazenbury’ s shot was deflected for a corner. Brocton could have had a second a minute into time added on. Morgan Payne found space and his shot was cleared off the line. The bell rebounded to Smith whose low shot was also cleared off the line. With the half-time whistle beckoning, a free kick was awarded on the edge of the Brocton area for a supposed handball from Luke Haddaway as he tried to deal with a long clearance from Cheadle keeper Jordan Latham. Lazenbury took the free-kick with Kearns saving well.
Half-time: Cheadle Town 3 Brocton 1
The feeling at half-time was that Brocton were well in the game but needed to score next to have any chance. Five minutes into the second half, a through ball from Finlay skipped away from Smith. A minute later, a surging run from Vaughan opened up a chance for Smith but his shot was over the bar. Cheadle grabbed their fourth in the 56th minute. Bryan shrugged off the challenge of Vaughan and beat Kearns at his near post, the young keeper expecting a shot across him. Latham held a fierce free kick from Smith before Kearns saved with his legs from Usher. Cheadle made it 5-1 in the 68th minute and it was a goal of high quality. Lazenbury skipped past two challenges down the right and his cross was hit first time into the roof of the net by Bryan giving Kearns no chance. Brocton strived to get back into the game and Latham made a fine save to stop a rasping shot from Smith. Finlay created space for himself before curling a shot over the bar. Bryan went close to a fourth in the 81st minute, his snap shot inches past the post. Brocton grabbed a second goal a minute before time. Smith found himself unmarked and made no mistake from the right hand side of the penalty area. Cheadle could have scored a sixth three minutes into stoppage time. A cross to the far post was headed wide by George Mzorek who probably should have done better. Cheadle deservedly strengthened their play-off hopes with this commanding victory leaving Brocton to look nervously over their shoulders at the chasing pack.
Full-Time: Cheadle Town 5 Brocton 2 Attendance:79
Cheadle Town: Jordan Latham, Adam Jones, Jack McConnell (Liam Moran 69), Sikirulahi Hamzat, William Unsworth, Daniel Hewitt (Lee Gregory 66), Ryan Usher (Kyle McGonigle 66), Thomas Murray, Matthew Bryan, Jordan Lazenbury, Callum McGlynn (George Mzorek). Sub (Not Used): Kaleb Parkinson
Brocton: Jonty Kearns, Adam Weldon, Jake Triggs, Luke Haddaway (Kenny Devoir 69), Tom Vaughan, Will Whieldon (Lewis Rowley 75), Will Finlay, Charlie King (Sam Scott 61), Reg Smith, Connor Haddaway, Morgan Payne (Mario Novaku 82). Sub (Not Used): Alex Curtis
Yellow Cards: Hamzat, Unsworth, Hewitt, Murray (Cheadle Town), Vaughan (Brocton)
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