Match Report
A 93rd minute winner from Tom Greaves confirmed FC United are very much in the race for the Evo-Stik Premier Division title as we won 1-0 at league leaders Chorley on Tuesday night.
The victory puts the in-form Reds nine points behind the Magpies with one game in hand and we still have to entertain the Lancashire side at Gigg Lane in April, meaning a late title challenge is a real possibility.
The two teams contested a very evenly matched tie at Victory Park in front of 2,171 supporters, the league’s biggest crowd of the season, but the Reds will feel they deserved the three points after having the best chances.
The hosts may have had more possession in a tense encounter but Karl Marginson’s side looked far more threatening coming forward with Adam Jones having a goal disallowed, the usually composed Jerome Wright blazing a good chance over the bar and former FC United favourite Sam Ashton making some greats saves to keep the scores level until Greaves finally got the better of him at the death.
Whilst it certainly wasn’t the prettiest game of football ever played it was one of the most entertaining of the season and the result gives the United faithful a real boost coming into the business end of the season.
The home team started of the brighter of the two, and for about 25 minutes they had more possession than the visitors in Red, but strong performances from the back three of Jones, Raglan and Davies meant that the Magpies couldn’t get any chances of any real note.
Towards the end of the first half United stepped up the pressure and took over the game, looking dangerous and seeing more of the ball with Jerome Wright having a great chance to open the scoring but seeing his effort well over the bar.
Not long before the break Adam Jones looked like he had given United the lead but the goal was ruled out for an infringement in the box and the teams went into the break at 0-0.
The second half started much the same as the first half did, with the home team getting hold of the ball and trying to put United on the back foot, but once more the United players were first to everything and showed real heart and commitment to nullify most of the attacking threats.
The home team were far from dominant in the early going and before long it was United who took over the game, with Mike Norton notably putting in a great shift up front getting to balls that in all honesty he had no right to and showing a great first touch holding the ball up with his back to goal waiting for the support to come.
As the game wore on it was apparent that it was United’s to win as they kept coming forward looking dangerous and attacking the end where most of the always noisy United support had gathered, you just sensed it was theirs to win.
Greaves and Norton gave the Magpies defence a torrid time, chasing everything down and even managing to get a couple of shots away, and the balls coming from Brownhill and Wright from either flank had the home defence scrambling to clear.
Matthew Wolfenden must have thought he’d done enough to give the Reds the three points as he flicked on a free kick from deep, but former FC favourite Sam Ashton showed the great shot stopping ability that made him so popular during his time at the club to stop the ball floating in the top corner.
As the game went into stoppage time you felt that the home team would settle for a point that would see United not make up any ground on them, but in the 93rd minute a ball from the right into the box as met on the half volley by Tom Greaves and flew into the bottom corner sending United’s fans, players and management into pandemonium.
Such was the timing of that goal that the home team didn’t have time to reply and a possibly season defining win for the Reds at the league leaders was assured.
It was a fantastic performance by every player that wore the Red shirt, showing commitment and heart, battling until the end in a match that had a cup tie feel as so many will before the end of the season now.
The result gives United some real momentum and dare we even say an outside chance of a late charge at finishing top of the league. But United know they must carry on the good form at Stocksbridge on Saturday to make this result count for anything.
Man of the match: Mike Norton – could have been anybody in Red but Norton showed an extraordinary work rate up front that represented the teams work rate all over the pitch.
Report by Craig Phillips
Match Report
A 93rd minute winner from Tom Greaves confirmed FC United are very much in the race for the Evo-Stik Premier Division title as we won 1-0 at league leaders Chorley on Tuesday night.
The victory puts the in-form Reds nine points behind the Magpies with one game in hand and we still have to entertain the Lancashire side at Gigg Lane in April, meaning a late title challenge is a real possibility.
The two teams contested a very evenly matched tie at Victory Park in front of 2,171 supporters, the league’s biggest crowd of the season, but the Reds will feel they deserved the three points after having the best chances.
The hosts may have had more possession in a tense encounter but Karl Marginson’s side looked far more threatening coming forward with Adam Jones having a goal disallowed, the usually composed Jerome Wright blazing a good chance over the bar and former FC United favourite Sam Ashton making some greats saves to keep the scores level until Greaves finally got the better of him at the death.
Whilst it certainly wasn’t the prettiest game of football ever played it was one of the most entertaining of the season and the result gives the United faithful a real boost coming into the business end of the season.
The home team started of the brighter of the two, and for about 25 minutes they had more possession than the visitors in Red, but strong performances from the back three of Jones, Raglan and Davies meant that the Magpies couldn’t get any chances of any real note.
Towards the end of the first half United stepped up the pressure and took over the game, looking dangerous and seeing more of the ball with Jerome Wright having a great chance to open the scoring but seeing his effort well over the bar.
Not long before the break Adam Jones looked like he had given United the lead but the goal was ruled out for an infringement in the box and the teams went into the break at 0-0.
The second half started much the same as the first half did, with the home team getting hold of the ball and trying to put United on the back foot, but once more the United players were first to everything and showed real heart and commitment to nullify most of the attacking threats.
The home team were far from dominant in the early going and before long it was United who took over the game, with Mike Norton notably putting in a great shift up front getting to balls that in all honesty he had no right to and showing a great first touch holding the ball up with his back to goal waiting for the support to come.
As the game wore on it was apparent that it was United’s to win as they kept coming forward looking dangerous and attacking the end where most of the always noisy United support had gathered, you just sensed it was theirs to win.
Greaves and Norton gave the Magpies defence a torrid time, chasing everything down and even managing to get a couple of shots away, and the balls coming from Brownhill and Wright from either flank had the home defence scrambling to clear.
Matthew Wolfenden must have thought he’d done enough to give the Reds the three points as he flicked on a free kick from deep, but former FC favourite Sam Ashton showed the great shot stopping ability that made him so popular during his time at the club to stop the ball floating in the top corner.
As the game went into stoppage time you felt that the home team would settle for a point that would see United not make up any ground on them, but in the 93rd minute a ball from the right into the box as met on the half volley by Tom Greaves and flew into the bottom corner sending United’s fans, players and management into pandemonium.
Such was the timing of that goal that the home team didn’t have time to reply and a possibly season defining win for the Reds at the league leaders was assured.
It was a fantastic performance by every player that wore the Red shirt, showing commitment and heart, battling until the end in a match that had a cup tie feel as so many will before the end of the season now.
The result gives United some real momentum and dare we even say an outside chance of a late charge at finishing top of the league. But United know they must carry on the good form at Stocksbridge on Saturday to make this result count for anything.
Man of the match: Mike Norton – could have been anybody in Red but Norton showed an extraordinary work rate up front that represented the teams work rate all over the pitch.
Report by Craig Phillips
