Rebels jet off in high spirits

By NickJackson

FC United leave for a mini-tournament in Germany on Friday buoyed by successive victories in the festive campaign which have put them within six points of league leaders Curzon Ashton.

They overcame hosts Curzon 2-0 on Saturday before romping to a typically buccaneering 5-2 win over Mossley at Gigg Lane on New Year's Day in which Rory Patterson came off the bench to score a hat-trick.

Jerome Wright gave the rebels a 13th minute lead, but that was cancelled out just before half-time by Gareth Hamlett's header.

Nicky Platt then missed a penalty before Patterson's introduction at the break sparked new life into the game.

His treble was added to by Platt, who atoned for his earlier error with a neat finish. Lee Connor grabbed a fine consolation for the visitors.

The form of FC has pleased manager Karl Marginson after a phase of erratic results which caused their credentials as table-topping candidates to be questioned.

He said: "We got back to doing the right things against Curzon, which was a particularly pleasing result. We just have to keep that level of performance and consistency going."

With most of their rivals in cup action at the weekend, Marginson is taking his side to Germany for a seven-a-side tournament at the weekend.

They will next kick a ball in anger here when they host Flixton in the Manchester Cup on Wednesday.

6:28am
1/3/2008