Stalybridge Celtic Blues v Ladybridge

On a mild cloudy evening we visited Blocksages to take on Stalybridge Celtic Blues in our final league game of the season.  Ollie and Caleb were unavailable for us this evening and Sam started on the bench.  Stalybridge started the game well and their No 31 was very prominent with his throw-ins proving to be a potent weapon from the start and it was through one of these that Stalybridge opened the scoring.  He launched a high looping throw in from the right and the Stalybridge striker made a good leap to head home to make it 1-0 to Stalybridge.

Ladybridge hit back within 5mins to level up the game when a slick pass and move between Ben and Taylor resulted in Taylor scoring his 50th goal of the season!  1-1.

Stalybridge were enjoying plenty of possession in the half and they were unlucky not to go ahead again when a corner was met well by the Stalybridge player only to see it fly over the bar.  Sam made a great run from well inside his half and dribbled past 3 or 4 Stalybridge players to find James Y whose advance on goal was brought to an abrupt end by some good defending.  The Stalybridge No 11 scored an excellent goal right on half time when some slack defending allowed him too much time and space in the box and he made no mistake to make it 2-1 Stalybridge.

HT Stalybridge 2-1 Ladybridge

Playing with the slope in the 2nd half saw Ladybridge up their game from the start and early in the half Taylor had a good effort just go wide after a good clearance from the defence found him in an advanced position.  James Y was then to test the Stalybridge keeper from 25 yards out but he did well to keep out a good goal-bound effort.  The Stalybridge No 19 was very unlucky not to score when he made a good break up field only to see his effort go just over the bar.  The final goal of the game was to be Ladybridge's as Dion battled well with a defender in the right hand corner of the pitch to eventually deliver an excellent cross into the box that was met well by James A’s pin point header that nestled into the bottom right hand corner of the net to make it 2-2.

The last ten minutes of the game saw Ladybridge pile forward trying to force another goal with efforts from a Sam header and a Cole drive before Dion hit the crossbar with a great shot in the last minute. Stalybridge held out and their defence was not to be breached again as the game finished 2-2.

FT 2-2

Stalybridge played very well and matched us all over the pitch for a good 60 minutes and they thoroughly deserved a share of the spoils this evening.  Played in a good spirit on a difficult surface we've come away with a good warm up for the Challenge Cup final on Saturday.

At times this evening it felt as though the lads were suffering from an end of season hangover.  After securing the league title in the last game it didn't seem like they were up for it at times, especially in the first half.  However, Ladybridge certainly upped their game in the last ten minutes of the match in particular and if we can perform like this consistently throughout the Cup Final on Saturday we'll give ourselves a good opportunity of picking up some more silverware to end our season on a high.

Gordon

De La Salle v Ladybridge

On a cloudy, cold and overcast evening we visited De La Salle for our penultimate league fixture.  Dion, Tom and a returning Ben started on the bench for us this evening.  This was to be a game of two halves and the first half was dominated by the home team. Rarely has a team been able to out play and restrict us to no chances on goal in a half but this evening DLS managed it.  We were under the cosh after 2mins when a DLS forward was unlucky not to score when he dragged a good effort wide.  Their first corner came on 3mins and again one of the DLS players was unlucky not to score when he headed the ball just over the bar.  So we could have been two down after 5mins.  A few minutes later Conor denied DLS when he saved a point blank effort from a corner.  DLS finally managed to get their deserved breakthrough when a free kick from 35 yards out was driven into the box to find the DLS No 11 free and he headed the ball home to make it 1-0 DLS.  

Ladybridge only forced one corner in the half and this was cleared well by the DLS defence.  DLS should have added a further goal before half time but Conor again made a crucial save in the last minute when he saved a goal bound effort from 10 yards.

HT De La Salle 1-0 Ladybridge.

DLS started the half by forcing a corner within a minute of the restart but the Ladybridge defence managed to clear this well.  Our first offensive move of the game came shortly after when Dion was unlucky not to get on the end of a good pass by James Y but the DLS keeper was switched on to the danger and managed to intercept the ball before Dion reached it.  Cole was the architect of our first goal when he powerfully ran down the left wing and his accurate pass to James Y was finished well by him with a low shot to the left of the DLS keeper to make it 1-1.

This goal seemed to kick start our lads and Cal found himself in an advanced position shortly after the goal and he picked out Cole in the box but his shot just went wide of the left hand post.  Our second goal started with Dion's mazy run across the DLS defensive line and his sublime pass to Cole was finished off well by our left wing wizard to make it 2-1 Ladybridge. 

Our lead didn't last long though as DLS hit back almost immediately when a defensive lapse at the back handed the ball to the DLS forward who made no mistake and made it 2-2.

With about 10mins to go Ladybridge would score the last goal of the game and Cole was on hand to literally slice through 3 or 4 defenders challenges to deliver a great ball into the box where Josh gratefully received the ball and he duly smashed home his shot to make it 3-2 Ladybridge.

Full Time De La Salle 2-3 Ladybridge.

DLS tonight made us fight right until the last minute to gain this vital win.  They should have been 2 or 3 up at half time and out of sight.  They didn't manage to kill us off and I'm sure they're still scratching their heads wondering why they lost this game.  Their players played as though they were going for the league, not us, and a similar performance in the 2nd half to the one they produced in the 1st would have given them the win that it would have merited.

Ladybridge scraped past a determined and impressive side this evening.  When the chips were down at half time and only one team looked likely to win this game they went out in the second and turned this game around completely to produce the vital win we needed to secure the League.

Well done lads from all your supporters and coaches. Tonight's 2nd half performance was one that we will remember for a long time.  Winning Cups is always special but it is the League that defines a team’s season and you have managed to secure this with a game to go which is a superb achievement.

Next up is our final league match of the season away at Stalybridge Celtic Blues on Thursday evening.

Gordon

Ladybridge v Avro - Tameside League Cup Final

A bright and chilly morning greeted both teams at Ashton United for the Tameside League Cup Final.  Our team Captain Ben was a massive miss for us this morning after picking up a rib injury during Thursday evenings defeat to Avro.  Tom and Josh started on the bench for Ladybridge.  The early stages of the half were quite scrappy with both teams struggling to dominate.  Avro's first effort on goal came after about 10mins of the half from a free kick from 30 yards out just going wide.  Ladybridge also had a good effort when James was fed from the left by a pass from Taylor but his shot just went wide of the mark.  Mid way through the half Cole made a lung busting run down the left flank into the heart of the Avro penalty area but his shot was skewed wide of the left hand post.  Avro's best opportunity of the half was to come with 10mins of play remaining when the Avro wingers swinging cross into Conor's area, almost found Ty's head with an empty Ladybridge net to hit.  Caleb stepped forward to take a Ladybridge free kick with 5 to go in the half but he lifted his effort just over the bar.  Avro finished the half strongly and had two decent efforts with one coming from a free kick that was cleared well by Sam and the other was from some good passing and movement that saw the ball find its way into the Ladybridge box but the snap shot from the Avro striker just went wide.

HT 0-0

The 2nd half started well for Ladybridge and it was Cole again who nearly opened the scoring when he made another trademark flying run of 50 yards down the left flank only to see his strike clear the crossbar.  Avro again pressured the Ladybridge defence when a corner was curled into the box where Sam did well to clear with a timely header.  Ladybridge had a free kick awarded to them after 45mins and Cole's delivery into the box found James just short of glancing the ball home.  Avro's No 19 had a really good chance to open the scoring when he made a strong run into the box only to be denied by a superb last-ditch challenge by Matt.  The first and only goal of the game was to be scored by Ladybridge and was set up well by Taylor whose delicate flick on found Cole striding forward into the box with just the Avro keeper to beat which he did with a well struck effort that nestled into the bottom left hand corner of the net to make it 1-0 Ladybridge.

Invariably the team going behind will always create a couple of chances to strike back and in the next 5mins Avro had a good shout for a penalty for handball turned down and their No 15 forced a decent save from Conor when his free kick was goal bound from 35 yards out.  The last five minutes of the game were played at a frantic pace and the Avro No 14 had a good shot saved well by Conor before Cole, in the dying minute, saw a great shot curl agonisingly wide before the referee's final whistle.

FT Ladybridge 1-0 Avro.

One goal separated these teams on Thursday evening and one goal proved enough to separate the teams again this morning.  Avro have a good squad of players with a never say die attitude and they did their coaches and many supporters proud today.  It took some resolute defending from our defensive quartet to keep them at bay.  We look forward to meeting them again in the league and cups next season.

Ladybridge were down to a squad of thirteen players this morning and all of them put in a tremendous amount of effort and guile into winning the League Cup and they deserved the many plaudits they received post match.  One massive match down and three more to negotiate before the end of the season, which could deliver the League title and another Cup within the week. Well done lads, you did yourselves proud today - keep it up!

Gordon

Ladybridge v Avro

On a very cloudy and overcast evening on a very heavy pitch we welcomed Avro, our League Cup final opponents, to Ladybridge Lane.  Tom, Josh and Ollie were the subs this evening.  The first five minutes of the game saw both teams feeling each other out and trying to come to terms with a difficult surface.  The first effort on goal came from Ladybridge when a throw in from Cal found Taylor in the box who passed smartly through to James Y who set up Dion for a shot that just went over the crossbar.  The next 10mins of the game was played out with neither team taking charge of possession.  Cole was causing the Avro defence problems down the left flank and he had two efforts within a couple of minutes of each other when he fired a free kick from 30 yards just wide and also saw a good run into the box finished off with a dragged shot left of goalkeepers post.  Cole was then fouled in the box and the referee awarded a spot kick, which the keeper did well to save from Cole to keep the game level.  Avro started to get a foothold into the game soon after the penalty and a good run by their forward Ty was defended well by the Ladybridge defence before he could get his shot away.  Avro then had a free kick from 25 yards out but this just whistled past Conor's right hand post.  The last chance of the half fell to James who collected the ball well from a Cal throw in but his shot from the edge of the box hit the left hand post and was cleared out well by the Avro defence.

H.T 0-0

The 2nd half started well for Ladybridge when after a minute a long and accurate pass forward by Cole found Taylor in space and he proceeded to split the Avro defence to fire a low hard shot past the keeper to make it 1-0 to Ladybridge.

Shortly after the opening goal Avro were awarded a free kick 20 yards out after a handball but fortunately for Ladybridge the powerfully hit shot went just past Conor's right hand post.  Avro were to be awarded a penalty after 10mins of the half and Ty stepped up to slot the ball past Conor to make it 1-1.  Cole again was unlucky not to score when he made a good run into the box from halfway, only to be stopped well by the last defender before he could unleash his shot on goal.  Avro were to get on the score-sheet next when Ty was not picked up on the right wing and he delivered a cracking cross into the box that was clinically put away by Nile to make it 2-1 Avro.

Ladybridge were not finished and the equaliser came with about 5mins to go when Cole spotted Josh free on the right and his pass to him allowed Josh to advance into the box and he directed an excellent effort past the Avro keeper to make it 2-2 game on... and it would be Avro that had the last effort that cost Ladybridge a point.

Ty was a real thorn in the side of the Ladybridge defence throughout the 2nd half and after picking up the ball just inside the Ladybridge half he proceeded to get past 4 or 5 challenges before he powered home an unstoppable drive to make it 3-2 to Avro.

F.T 3-2 Avro.

Avro this evening had a perfect warm up for the Cup final on Sunday with a win that they battled well for.  Ty was their man of the match and his 2nd half performance with a clinical penalty and great last minute goal topped off a superb match winning performance.  Well done Avro you stopped us picking up the league title tonight that a win would have given us, we look forward to another cracking game on Sunday.....

Ladybridge had enough efforts on goal in both halves to probably put this game to bed but for whatever reason they didn't manage to convert as they normally do.  No silverware was won or lost this evening and we have four massive games that could deliver 2 Cups and the League in the next 10 days.  Hopefully this evening’s set back will focus the lads for the battles ahead as all four games will be as tough as this was this evening.

Gordon