Rebels downed

Source: Manchester Evening News

September 09, 2010

Jerome Wright was sent off for violent conduct after only 29 minutes as FC United crashed to a 5-1 defeat at Bower Field against Matlock.

By that stage the Rebel Reds were already a goal down to Ross Hannah’s strike in the third minute.

But 10-man FC held the home side to that scoreline until the interval.

And then hauled themselves back into the game with an equaliser from Micky Norton on the hour mark.

The home side suffered a double blow with the equaliser as keeper Adam Solitt suffered a nasty injury trying to save the goal and had to be taken to hospital.

And the game was delayed for half and hour while he received treatment.

The hiatus obviously affected the visitors and after the resumption when sub James Knowles put the home side back in front.

Nick Platt almost pulled one back for the Reds after a good cross from Scott McManus.

Then Chris Ovington had a goal disallowed and Kyle Jacobs forced a save from the keeper.

But Cropper (2) and Knowles added three more goals in the last 10 minutes to complete the rout.

A last gasp equaliser earned Radcliffe Borough their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw against local rivals Salford City in a somewhat quiet game.

Salford went in front in the 39th minute when ex-Boro striker Steve Foster scored with a header from a precise cross.

And Boro’s best chance came from new signing Matty Ward, who ran 70 yards before last defender Jamie Baguley halted his progress.

In the second half Foster nearly scored a second against his former club but Martyn Forrest cleared the ball off the line.

And the game really picked up pace in the final 10 minutes with shots flying in from all angles.

In the last minute of play Borough struck after Ally Brown went down the right wing only to mishit the ball.

But in a mad scramble between attackers and defenders it was Boro's stand-in captain Mark Jones who deflected the ball into the Salford net.

However Boro's injury worries continue as Tom Brooks joined the wounded list along with Howson, Wharton, Roberts and Kelly.

On the plus side both Dan Sherlock and Griff Jones came off the bench to near the end to boost Gerry Luczka's resources.