Ground switch pays dividend

Source: Buxton Advertiser
North West Counties League
New Mills 0 FC United 2

THE might of FC United proved too much once again for New Mills on Saturday and they slipped to defeat at Ewen Fields.
FC United - the renegade Manchester United offshoot – notched up their 23rd win of the season in their 30th league game to extend their lead at the top of the table to a massive 24 points.

However, it could and should have been a different story as straight from the kick off it was the Millers who took control as they were camped in their opponents half of the field.

Despite almost all the possession they could not carve out any real chances, with perhaps the best when Morris was played through only to slip on the surface when if he had kept his feet he would have had had a golden opportunity to score.

It came as a complete surprise when with their first real attack FC took the lead on 22 minutes when Johnathon Mitten turned on the edge of the box and fired home. It was a fine opportunist goal.

New Mills rallied and continued to press, but with half time approaching the reds scored a second goal through Patterson who scored from a right wing corner.

The second half was a pretty tame affair and after Patterson was sent off on the hour for a second yellow card, the Manchester side seemed content to hold onto their lead, which they did fairly comfortably.

The best chances that New Mills created were all from free kicks, which were extremely well taken by both Martin McDonald and Mickey Ryan. The goalkeeper for FC, Philip Melville, made a couple of fine saves from these to keep a clean sheet.

There was some consolation in the decision of New Mills to switch the game to Hyde United's home. The attendance of 1,952 was their biggest "home attendance" since the visit of Manchester United "A" some half a century ago.

New Mills: Boyle, Horrocks. M Morrison, Ryan, Jackson, D Morrison, Persechino, McDonald, Hancock, Braine, Morris subs; Jordo0n, Ignotus, Sidebottom

FC United: Melville, Nugent,Cullen, Spencer, Chadwick, Brown, Swarbrick, Ahern, Mitten, Torpey, Patterson subs; Lyon, Simms, Carden.

sport@buxtonadvertiser.co.uk
30 March 2006