Macclesfield & District F.A. Saturday Cup
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FA Saturday Cup Final at Moss Rose
Club AZ 5 Congleton Vale 0
Club AZ claimed the Macc and District FA Cup for the third year in a row as they proved too good for Vale at Moss Rose. Vale will be desperately disappointed as they deserved more and possibly under performed on the day but AZ were clinical and two goals in the final minutes were icing on the cake after a workman like performance.
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| Vale's Matt Swift battles for possession |
It wasn’t a classic by any means but AZ hadn’t conceded a goal at any stage during the competition so goals were always going to be at a premium. Matt Swift and Tom Jackson tried to break the deadlock but too often their attacks broke down with AZ captain and centre half Andy Forbes in fine form .Indeed it was Forbes himself who opened the scoring on thirty two minutes as he joined the attack at a corner and managed to turn the ball in past keeper Simon Farrell with his thigh. Vale were still in the game but Neil O’Brian doubled AZ’s lead a minute before the break getting on the end of a Lee Sharples freekick.
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| Harry Wheatman in action for Club AZ |
The second half began well for Vale with Craig Beech going close but the tide turned on the hour when AZ’s bean pole striker Paul Haydock managed to nick the ball past Farrell as both players challenged for a through ball and guide the ball into an empty net to make it 3-0. With half an hour remaining there was still time for Vale to get back in the game but they needed a goal and try as they might it wouldn’t come. To compound their misery Craig Scott side footed home to make it 4-0 with two minutes remaining and in stoppage time centre half Ian Hines stooped low at the far post to head home number five to secure the victory
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| Steve Whitehead and Chris Ogden |
