FC rock Borough with late winner

23/10/2008

FC UNITED kept their Wembley dream alive with a last minute 1-0 win over local rivals Radcliffe Borough in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

Borough were left blaming the referee for adding five minutes of injury time, which allowed Adam Turner to head the reds through to the second qualifying round.

The referee may have had a shocker but Borough, who had to make do without injured trio Gary Sampson, Adam Roscoe and Martyn Forrest, failed to leave their own half for the majority of the match and most of those present at Gigg Lane were scratching their heads more at FC’s inability to turn possession into goals than at any of the strange decisions that the officials concocted.

Adam Carden capped a fine performance with the last-gasp cross for Turner to loop the ball past ex-United keeper Phil Priestley and spare the UniBond Premier side’s blushes.

The reds have been drawn away to Worksop Town in the second qualifying round on Saturday, November 1.

Before that, FC visit Whitby Town in the league on Saturday, October 25, kick-off 3pm.

At the same time, 13th-placed Radcliffe host 16th-placed Colwyn Bay in the UniBond League First Division North. They then visit Woodley Sports in the UniBond League Challenge Cup on Tuesday, October 28, kick-off 7.45pm.

Meanwhile, Radcliffe are also reeling from a 1-0 Manchester Premier Cup home defeat to first division rivals Trafford on Tuesday night.

The only goal in what was Radcliffe’s third successive cup match came in the 64th minute.

Radcliffe were without six first team players on Tuesday with captain Simon Kelly, Tom Rutter and Lee Connell joining Sampson, Roscoe and Forrest on the sidelines.

And the game represented Richard Battersby’s last for Radcliffe due to his agreed move to Conference North high flyers Stalybridge Celtic.