Macclesfield & District F.A. Saturday Cup
Sponsored by Safety Screens Ltd
Semi Final @ Congleton Town FC Saturday 24th April
Boarhound 2 Congleton Vale 1
Maurice Sutton ‘s Boarhound team took another huge step towards completing an unprecedented treble this season as they booked their place in the final of the Macc and District FA Saturday Cup and still remain unbeaten this season in all competitions.
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| Dec Fletcher was well marshalled by Congleton Vale's skipper , ex pro, Chris Beech |
Victory however came at a cost for the East Cheshire League Champions Boarhound though as three crucial players will be forced to sit out the remaining league fixtures to in the hope they can prove their fitness for the final. Dan Frost was an early casualty aggravating an injury as early as the twenty fourth minute but just as crucial will be the loss of Ryan Stewart who started the game with a broken toe and was eventually carried of the pitch late in the second half by team mate Matty Roberts who also left the ground with an ice pack around a badly swollen ankle.
The match itself was predictably tough with both sides probing early but with neither goalkeeper forced into action. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was in the nineth minute when Andy Foote’s free kick hit the top of the top of the cross bar but it went harmlessly out for a goal kick. On twenty one minutes vale took the lead , Matt Swift who looked dangerous all game for the Staffordshire Premier Division outfit latched on to a mistake in Boarhound’s defence as goal keeper Gaz Hughes and centre half Ryan Stewart collided whilst going for the same ball and calmly slid the ball into the empty net. Barely two minutes later and Boarhound were level Jamie Collins firing a low drive past Rob Massey from the edge of the penalty area .
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| Simon Gibbons scored the winner for Boarhound |
The second half followed the pattern of the first with Vale’s captain Chris Beech quite outstanding denying substitute striker Dec Fletcher with a perfectly timed tackle when he was clean through on goal. With fifteen minutes remaining and extra time looking inevitable up popped Boarhound’s Simon Gibbons who’d looked rather subdued for most of the match with a piece of individual magic to fire Boarhound into the lead as he cut in from the left wing and fired home. Vale tried to get back in the game , Craig Caddy the pick of their players in midfield and James Spencer a real handful upfront but they wasted two great chances late on to equalise and in the end it was Boarhound’s tenacity that helped them hold out with Dave Barratt running himself into the ground for the cause and is they who will challenge holders Club AZ when the two sides meet at the Moss Rose in May.
Macc & District FA Sunday Cup
(sponsored by Gradus Ltd )
Semi –Final @ Congleton Town FC Sunday 25th April
Pack Horse 5 Albion Rovers 0
Pack Horse finally ended Rovers stubborn resistance but the final score line was harsh on Rovers who despite trailing 1-0 for much of the match following a spectacular Simon Gibbons opener , were always in the match and competed for every ball . Indeed they were unlucky not to be level when Michael Gibbons goalbound free kick was turned over the bar by Anthony Connolly five minutes before half time.
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| Simon Gibbons takes on Albion's Michael Oakes |
Gaz Hughes, back at Booth Street having played for Boarhound the previous day had earlier kept Rovers in the game saving brilliantly from Nick Stone and then bravely diving at the feet of Simon Band. Harry Wheetman should have made it 2-0 but put the ball wide from two yards out .
The turning point came with fifteen minutes remaining with the game still anybodies when Pack Horse were awarded a penalty as Michael Oakes who’d been outstanding for Rovers , handled on the line. Referee Pete Gregory had little option but to show red and Albion were down to ten. Simon Gibbons slotted home the penalty to make it 2-0. Despite the tenacity of Tom Druce, Dave Barratt, Jamie Collins and Gary Rollinson Rovers legs began to tire and the floodgates opened. Lee Malkin , quick at the best of times, was on as a substitute and it was he who made it 3-0 taking advantage of tired legs in the Albion defence before another substitute, Matt Towns got the better of Gaz Hughes and walked the ball over the line to make it 4-0. Malkin got his second minutes from the end after Hughes had parried a thunderous strike from Towns but Albion battled right to the final whistle.
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| Tom Druce and Barney Cutbill get a well earned breather |
The Pack ,already crowned MSL Premier Division Champions again now face Cheadle Lions in the final.
