FC United keep play-off hopes alive by beating Atherton Collieries
FC United moved to within three points of the play-offs with four games to go by beating Atherton Collieries 2-0 at Broadhurst Park on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of second half goals from home debutant Josh Askew and Regan Linney.
With fifth placed Warrington and sixth placed Whitby both dropping vital points at home, the eighth placed Reds closed the gap on their promotion rivals to keep their hopes alive as we move into the final month of the season.
On a day where Lancashire Cricket legend John Abrahams was in a crowd of 1,850 supporters – to make an on-field presentation at half time – it was FC United who would bowl Atherton out of proceedings.
The Reds had to work for it though. The first 45 minutes were hard going, and despite having the best of the chances early on, Neil Reynolds’ side just couldn’t get the rhythm of that fast-paced game we’ve become accustomed to.
It was a real ding-dong of game when it did get going with both teams having good spells in the first half. For a side that has the lowest goals to games ratio in the league, the Colls we’re looking a threat.
With no goals at halftime, FC made two attacking substitutions at the interval – Ali Waddecar and Ewan Bange replacing Jorge Sikora and Charlie Ennis. The game was there to be won and the Reds were doing everything they could to take all three points.
It took just two minutes of the second half for Reno’s changes to bear fruit, as a scuffed chance by Bange was converted low into the net by new man Askew.
FC always looked in control from this point, and they played smart passes in the centre of the pitch. Rather than running at their opponents as Atherton were trying to do, the Reds were more than happy to pass the ball around them.
FC sealed victory with a second goal in the 92nd minute as a mix up by Atherton ‘keeper Taberner left him at the mercy of the ever dangerous Linney, and he made no mistake of stealing the ball and tucking it into the back of the net.
After the game, FC United manager and CEO, Neil Reynolds said: “Today was a potential banana-skin. Atherton had done their homework on us, and everyone raises their game when they come here.
“We knew we had to be at our best and in the first half we weren’t really. We came in at half time, changed some things around tactically and we were better in the second half, we were in control.
“There is a lot of talk around the play-offs, people expect FC United to be up there. I’ve said all season, wherever we finish, be it play-offs or seventh or 10th, we’ll finish where we deserve to finish.
“We’ve dropped some silly points this season, but we’ve also had some excellent results. It’s been a challenging season. There are 12 points left to play for, let’s see what we can get out of them and try to finish as high as we can.”
Website man of the match: Jonathan Smith. His assured work in the middle of the park all afternoon was instrumental in FC United being able to move the ball from defence into attack, and this was the basis of the two goals that got us all three points.
Next up, FC travel to Milan to face Brera in the Fenix Trophy on Wednesday 6th April, in what is sure to be a fantastic occasion for both clubs. They return to league action next Saturday at Morpeth Town.
Report by Callum Scott
FC United keep play-off hopes alive by beating Atherton Collieries
FC United moved to within three points of the play-offs with four games to go by beating Atherton Collieries 2-0 at Broadhurst Park on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of second half goals from home debutant Josh Askew and Regan Linney.
With fifth placed Warrington and sixth placed Whitby both dropping vital points at home, the eighth placed Reds closed the gap on their promotion rivals to keep their hopes alive as we move into the final month of the season.
On a day where Lancashire Cricket legend John Abrahams was in a crowd of 1,850 supporters – to make an on-field presentation at half time – it was FC United who would bowl Atherton out of proceedings.
The Reds had to work for it though. The first 45 minutes were hard going, and despite having the best of the chances early on, Neil Reynolds’ side just couldn’t get the rhythm of that fast-paced game we’ve become accustomed to.
It was a real ding-dong of game when it did get going with both teams having good spells in the first half. For a side that has the lowest goals to games ratio in the league, the Colls we’re looking a threat.
With no goals at halftime, FC made two attacking substitutions at the interval – Ali Waddecar and Ewan Bange replacing Jorge Sikora and Charlie Ennis. The game was there to be won and the Reds were doing everything they could to take all three points.
It took just two minutes of the second half for Reno’s changes to bear fruit, as a scuffed chance by Bange was converted low into the net by new man Askew.
FC always looked in control from this point, and they played smart passes in the centre of the pitch. Rather than running at their opponents as Atherton were trying to do, the Reds were more than happy to pass the ball around them.
FC sealed victory with a second goal in the 92nd minute as a mix up by Atherton ‘keeper Taberner left him at the mercy of the ever dangerous Linney, and he made no mistake of stealing the ball and tucking it into the back of the net.
After the game, FC United manager and CEO, Neil Reynolds said: “Today was a potential banana-skin. Atherton had done their homework on us, and everyone raises their game when they come here.
“We knew we had to be at our best and in the first half we weren’t really. We came in at half time, changed some things around tactically and we were better in the second half, we were in control.
“There is a lot of talk around the play-offs, people expect FC United to be up there. I’ve said all season, wherever we finish, be it play-offs or seventh or 10th, we’ll finish where we deserve to finish.
“We’ve dropped some silly points this season, but we’ve also had some excellent results. It’s been a challenging season. There are 12 points left to play for, let’s see what we can get out of them and try to finish as high as we can.”
Website man of the match: Jonathan Smith. His assured work in the middle of the park all afternoon was instrumental in FC United being able to move the ball from defence into attack, and this was the basis of the two goals that got us all three points.
Next up, FC travel to Milan to face Brera in the Fenix Trophy on Wednesday 6th April, in what is sure to be a fantastic occasion for both clubs. They return to league action next Saturday at Morpeth Town.
Report by Callum Scott
