On Wednesday 24th October we had round 7 of fixtures in the SportsReach mens 5aside league. With top team Wray having no game, both Roeburndale Rascals and Crown Lane had the opportunity to go top of the league, depending on results in other games. First fixtures up were Chipping against Newbigginners and Quernmore against Roeburndale Rascals. Chipping and Newbigginners both found themselves nearer the bottom of the table, after having difficult early season fixtures. Newbigginners scored first with goal of the game coming from Colin Sowerby. With his back to goal, he swivelled, flicked the ball up and volleyed it into the top corner. Newbigginners seem to have a more settled team out each week now after using quite a few players in the first 2 or 3 games, and again it showed as they had more of the ball and slightly better of the play. They scored again through Rob Taylor before Chipping came back to level the game with 2 well taken goals, including a smart penalty from Joe Kelsall. With 5 minutes to go Newbigginners regained the lead as DJ Beecham found himself unmarked on the edge of Chippings ‘D’ and he slid the ball past James Smith, to take 3 precious points!
Quernmore had a very strong team out, with Dan Tyrer coming in for his first game and it was they who started the game strongly going 2 – 0 up after only a few minutes. Roeburndale hadn’t really got into any rhythm, but Quernmore’s early goals seemed to kick start them and they pulled a goal back through Will Preece. As the first half went on Quernmore regained their 2 goal lead as Rob Barker scored his second goal with another powerful left footed drive. Second half and it was Roeburndale who came at Quernmore, with Andrew Jackson scoring twice to level the game up. As the game went on, Roeburndale were the team that looked like getting the winner, but it was Quernmore who snatched it with 2 minutes to go as Bruno Buccelli nipped in and calmly finished. Quernmore put gloss on their win as Dan Tyrer scored his second, with almost the last action of the game, as Roeburndale had pushed men forward searching for another equaliser.
At 9pm Mick Lund shared some of his story. He mentioned what Dave Lawson had talked about last week, when he asked the question ‘What are you living for?’. Mick told us about when he was a boy and how he got hooked on playing snooker. He devoted years to practicing in all his spare time and in playing at tournaments nearly every weekend and he was successful in local competitions. But what was it all for? He told us how he knew God was calling him to follow Jesus, but he put it off for years. It wasn’t until his late 30’s that God challenged Mick again, to follow Him. And this time he did. Mick told the lads that it was the most important decision he had made and encouraged them to follow Jesus for themselves if they weren’t already.
In the late games Ingleton were against Garstang, with both teams hoping to secure their first win. Crown Lane, hoping to go top of the league after Roeburndale had lost, were against Capernwray. Matt Sowerby gave Garstang the lead from the penalty spot before Josh Capstick equalised. It was a very tight game with few chances but Garstang did manage to go in at half time ahead, thanks to a goal from Ben Taylor. Into the second half and Ingleton drew level again thanks to a lovely hooked volley from the edge of the area from Paul Whitaker, and then took the lead as Tom Whitaker drilled in at the near post. Garstang were soon back level again as Ben scored his second and the game looked to be heading for a deserved point a piece, only for Paul Whitaker to score a very late free kick and give Ingleton the win.
Capernwray have a really good team this year and with some great management from Graham Atkinson, they set off like a train against a team that had won 47 of their last 59 games in the league. Capernwray were 4 – 1 up at half time with 2 goals apiece for David Kira and Taylor Pederson. Sam Hogarth had pulled one back with a screamer as he drove past 2 players and smashed his shot into the top corner. Second half and Crown Lane pulled 2 goals back through Dan Giannoccaro and Dan Parkinson and they were putting Capernwray under a lot of pressure. Crown Lane were getting quite a few shots off but mostly from range. Sam had a shot that hit both posts and came out and then just when an equaliser looked like it was coming, David had a shot for Capernwray from distance and with Crown Lanes keeper unsighted, it was 5 – 3. Crown Lane got the ball and went straight to the other end of the pitch and Oliver Parkinson scored and but with just a few minutes left, Capernwray managed to see the game out, to get a very unexpected but deserved win.
Results:
Chipping 2 – 3 Newbigginners
Quernmore 5 – 3 Roeburndale Rascals
Crown Lane 4 – 5 Capernwray
Ingleton 4 – 3 Garstang
