On arguably the sunniest day of the year and on a good surface, we welcomed Chadderton Reds to our Tempest Road home. We suffered our only defeat this season to Chaddy in late October. We had James Y missing from the squad through other footballing commitments and we started the game with Ollie and Josh on the bench. Chaddy started the game quickly and forced an early corner, which Ladybridge managed to clear. Soon after this Chaddy were awarded a free kick 30 yards out and again Ladybridge just managed to clear the ball from the box. The first offensive move for Ladybridge came down the left flank when Cole managed to get past a couple of defenders but his shot went high and wide of the goal. Ladybridge also had another opportunity to open the scoring soon after when the Chaddy keeper struggled to hold on to a cross and Taylor just headed over. Chaddy were unfortunate not to take the lead when their striker made a great run into the heart of the Ladybridge area only to see his shot blocked superbly by Caleb on the stretch. The first goal of the game came from the visitors when a good throw in found the Chaddy No 9 with time to pick out his striking colleague with a slide rule pass and he slotted his shot wide of Conor to make it 1-0 to Chaddy.
Caleb was replaced by Josh with ten minutes to go through injury. Ladybridge were to concede again before half time when after sustained pressure and possession in the Ladybridge half a Chaddy player found he had enough time and space in the box and he drilled home from 10 yards out to make it Chaddy 2-0. They could have made it three just before the break but a superb last ditch challenge from Sam thwarted the Chaddy player before he could take the shot.
Half Time 2-0 to Chadderton Reds.
Chaddy certainly started the 2nd half as they finished the 1st and to be honest I haven't witnessed a team dominate and totally over run us as we were for the next 35mins of play. The first goal of the half would be crucial and if, and its a big if, Ladybridge had got it, maybe we could have got back into the game, unfortunately it wasn't to be and Chaddy would score four unanswered goals in the 2nd half. Their first goal was scored by their No 10 (I think) who gathered the ball well 30 yards out and he lifted a speculative effort high towards the goal and it dipped over Conor's crossbar to make it 3-0 to Chaddy. Their fourth goal came from a penalty kick after Sam handled in the area and the Chaddy No 4 powered home from the spot with an unstoppable drive high and right of Conor to make it 4-0 Chaddy. The No 4 was also instrumental in the next goal when he crossed into the Ladybridge area and his ball found a Chaddy striker lurking by the left hand post and he slotted home to make it 5-0 Chaddy. Ladybridge only mounted one serious effort all half when James had a shot come cross gathered well by the Chaddy keeper. The last goal of the game came when their No 3 turned the Ladybridge defence well and he unleashed a cracking shot high and to the left of Conor to make it 6-0 to Chadderton Reds.
Chadderton Reds gave Ladybridge a bit of a footballing lesson this afternoon and inflicted, I think, our worst defeat that I can ever recall on us. Defensively and offensively Chadderton today were performing on a different level to us and thoroughly deserved their victory and completed the league double over us to boot. Well done to all at Chaddy Reds you were different class today!
Well I've reported on many matches where we've totally dominated and beat teams with similar scores and today we all have experienced how it feels to be on the wrong end of a result. Collectively, we need to put this defeat behind us, lick our wounds and hopefully learn from it and bounce back in a positive manner as all good teams do.
We now have a two week gap until our next fixture when we'll be hosting the current league leaders Hough End Griffins.
Gordon
