Boothstown vs Wilmslow Albion Match Report

It was a Saturday afternoon to forget for Wilmslow Albion, as the Oakmen suffered a shocking 10-3 loss to Boothstown in Salford. With Oakwood Farm unplayable because of the rain, the game was moved to a 4g pitch in Salford. Wilmslow Albion were unchanged from last weeks away victory against Altrincham Hale, with Mansour back on the bench after injury.

Within 5 minutes, Boothstown got their first goal of the game, as the number 10 fired his shot against the post and in. Wilmslow tried to get a response quickly and skipper Danny Pearson nearly produced brilliance to get the response, as a free kick from 30 yards out was heading for the top corner, but the keeper got fingertips to it and it crashed off the bar. Joe Kirk was then given the ball on the left, he threaded it through to Kieran Casey, who stabbed the ball goalwards but the keeper got his body in the way and it ended up going out for a goal kick. After a header from a Boothstown corner went over the bar, Ibra Thiam had a big chance in the game. Casey headed it on to the Grand Canarian striker, he was one on one with the keeper but the keeper made the save with his legs. Boothstown then got their second, the number 11 cut in from the right-hand side and struck a shot which was well saved by Jonny Cregeen, but the Boothstown number 9 reacted quickest and volleyed it off the post and in. There was time for one final chance for Wilmslow Albion as Aidan Hussey played a ball out to the left for Thiam, he cut inside, hit a well struck half volley which the keeper saved brilliantly with his right hand and Casey couldn’t quite get the required connection on the rebound.

The second half got off to a quick start by the Oakmen, Thiam got brought down inside the box and the ref pointed to the spot. The striker, on penalty taking duties this week, stepped up and slotted it in to the bottom left corner. The next attack then led to an equaliser, a ball was played down the left channel for Thiam, he managed to chip it over the on-rushing goalkeeper and brought the Albion back level. But Wilmslow were only level for 5 minutes, as a central free kick was nodded into the back of the net by the Boothstown number 18. There were then two goals in quick succession, the Wilmslow Albion midfield was dispossessed and a ball over to the left was finished by the Boothstown number 6, before a cross was only cleared out to the Boothstown number 9 on the edge of the box and he side volleyed it into the roof of the net. It could have been more for Boothstown, as they missed a chance from 6 yards out. Wilmslow then won themselves a corner in the 67^th minute, Harry Sexton whipped the ball into the box, it bounced off a Boothstown defender but there was another defender on the line who cleared it away. But Boothstown continued to punish any chance Wilmslow gave them, as a ball was played over the top was guided in by the Boothstown number 10 for his second and then he completed his hat trick in a similar manner two minutes later.

Going into the final 15 minutes, Wilmslow were awarded a free kick. Sexton stepped up to take it, it went low and was blocked, before Mansour’s strike towards goal was cleared away by a Boothstown defender. There were then two more goals for Boothstown’s number 10, after Wilmslow were dispossessed at the back, he finished it past Cregeen, before he got the ball on the left and hit it into the bottom left corner. Wilmslow then got their third of the game, a free kick was whipped in from the left, it was flicked on and Mansour was able to nod it in. But that was not to be the final goal of the game, as the number 11 of Boothstown had time to hit an effort with the outside of his foot and into the net. The final chance of the game then fell to Rammy, but his effort from a cleared free kick could only go over the top.

It was a bad afternoon for Wilmslow Albion, mistakes that were made by the team were continuously punished by Boothstown. The team must learn and cut out the mistakes if they want to get themselves climbing up the Manchester Football League. The Oakmen will look to put this result behind them and move on as they play Middleton Colts in the Murray Trophy at Oakwood Farm next Saturday.

Wilmslow Albion vs Newton Athletic Match Report

Wilmslow Albion suffered an early exit from the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup this week, as the Oakmen went down to a 1-4 home defeat to Cheshire Football League members Newton Athletic. There were 3 changes for Wilmslow from the 2-1 victory away at East Manchester the week before, with Joe Kirk coming back in at Left wing back in place of Lee Arnold, Harry Sexton coming into the number 10 in place of Rammy and Ibra Thiam up front in place of Kieran Casey.

It was a quick start from Newton Athletic, as a free kick from the left went into the box, it didn't get fully cleared, and Pownall put it into the back of the net. At the ten minute mark, a ball sprayed across to the right by the Newton number 10 found the feet of the number 11, he cut inside on his left but fired it over the top. The challenge then got tougher for Wilmslow, as the ball popped out to the the Newton Athletic number 9 on the left, who played it across to Evans who tapped it in. Wilmslow had struggled at the start of the game but started to find their feet around the 20th minute, as a long range effort from Sexton went goalwards but was caught by the goalkeeper. Newton's number 9 had an effort blocked by Sam Warren to prevent another goal, but Wilmslow were able to convert a chance in the 25th Minute. Kirk played a ball over the top to set Mansour away down the left, Aidan Hussey had made a run through midfield, picked up the ball towards the edge of the box, his first effort was blocked, but the midfielder kept running and tucked in the rebound to halve the deficit.

Wilmslow then pushed to get an equaliser, a ball in from the left by Kirk reached Mansour at the near post, he stabbed it towards goal but the Newton goalkeeper made a smart stop. The Oakmen created some chances towards the latter half of the second half, with some good play down the right finding its way into the middle of the box for Hussey, but couldn't get the required connection. Harry Sexton, who had a strong game, played a pass from the right into the feet of Thiam, he got the shot away but it deflected over the top and out for a corner. The Newton Athletic number 11 then had a cross which nearly crept into the corner, but Jonny Cregeen made sure that it didn't sneak in. The final chance of the half fell to Wilmslow, when a ball from the left went to the edge of the box, Thiam produced some great footwork to set up Mansour, he couldn't quite get the shot away, before Thiam then got the ball back but his effort was blocked for a corner.

The second half starts with another blocked effort, this time Warren blocking brilliantly to deny the Newton number 11. There was nearly a fantastic equaliser for Wilmslow, as Hussey played a delicately lofted ball over the Newton backline to reach the great run made by Sexton, he chested it down, he tried to hit it in from the tight angle but he couldn't quite direct it goalwards, a lovely move from Wilmslow, just couldn't quite apply the finishing touches. Wilmslow had a high volume of possession in this game, one such instance led to a great ball from the left by Kirk, which was cleared out as far as Danny Pearson, he played it to Sexton onto Hussey, before the midfielder was tackled and it went back to the skipper, who had his effort saved by the keeper. Despite Wilmslow possession, Newton Athletic got another goal past the hour mark, as a long range effort from Davenport beat the diving Cregeen and went in.

Wilmslow did get the ball in the back of the net for a second time, but the assistant ruled that Hussey had made his cross to Mansour whilst starting from an offside position. Thiam got himself another opportunity on the left hand side of the penalty box, which was fired goalwards, but the keeper stood tall and stopped the shot. Newton Athletic's number 7 then made a run from the left, cut inside and fired an shot at goal, which was saved by Cregeen. But the resulting corner would end up being goal number 4 for Newton Athletic, as Morgan headed the ball into the roof of the net. There was one final effort in the game, as Cregeen made a save to deny the number 10 with 5 minutes left, but that was to be the final action of the tie.

So Wilmslow Albion bowed out of the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup against Newton Athletic, but the team can take positives from this game. If they keep possession like they did and then convert that possession into more chances and shots on target, the goals have every chance of flowing. The Oakmen return to league action next week, as they have an away trip to Altrincham Hale.

East Manchester vs Wilmslow Albion match report

The latest round of fixtures saw Wilmslow Albion get themselves back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory away to East Manchester. After three straight defeats, Wilmslow made three changes from the defeat to Govan Athletic, as Aidan Hussey came into the number 10 in place of Ibra Thiam, Rammy came into the midfield for the suspended Harry Sexton and at the back, Nick Collins moved to left wing back with Joe Kirk unavailable, allowing Josh Plant to come into the back three.

The first opportunity of the match went to the hosts, a corner was whipped into the box and the East Manchester number 9 leaped well but headed the ball over the bar. Following the corner, some great play from Collins nearly sets Mansour away, he's stopped well by the East Manchester defence and they scramble it out for corner, which Danny Pearson crosses in and is inches away from the head of Mansour. A quick start is something the Oakmen will have been hoping for after a rough patch and after 15 minutes of this game, they got that quick start. Kieran Casey gets himself to the edge of the box and slots the ball into the corner past the goalkeeper.

East Manchester looked to get back on level terms quickly, after a free kick from the right was hit low and struck over the bar, the home side produced a brilliant double save out of Jonny Cregeen 10 minutes later, great stuff from the Wilmslow shotstopper. Mansour then nearly got himself on the scoresheet, he runs at the East Manchester backline, but the keeper pulls off a great save to deny the striker. It had been a good half from Wilmslow Albion, defended very well, got the early goal and played the ball around nicely, with Hussey and Tom Crompton combining well right at the end of the first half, but the effort could not be converted.

The second half could not have started much better for Wilmslow Albion, the ball works its way out to the right-hand side and a man who is becoming a fan favourite at right wing-back, Tom Crompton, lashes the ball into the back of the net, the man who normally puts the ball into the box, got on the end of a cross and got his first goal for the club, sending the crowd wild.

Wilmslow kept going for more goals in the second half, Rammy made a run through midfield, kept himself onside, but he just put the effort wide of the keeper's goal, before Mansour got the ball in the back of the net, but was ruled out for offside. East Manchester weren't going down lightly in this match though, a free kick whipped in leads to the ball ricocheting around the box and just put wide, before the East Manchester centre forward put the ball wide around the 70th minute mark. With 15 minutes to go, East Manchester were able to pull a goal back with a great finish in the box. Towards the end of the game, the hosts nearly got the equaliser, their number 12 attempted an effort but it was brilliantly stopped by Cregeen, whose shot-stopping was fantastic in this game.

Wilmslow saw out the game and weathered the storm to earn the 3 points. Wilmslow Albion showed a great mentality to bounce back from three games without a win. There were some great performances at the back for Wilmslow Albion, with the team doing brilliantly to keep out a stern East Manchester attack, something the managers will be over the moon with. The Oakmen go again next week with their first cup game of the season in the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup against Newton Athletic.