Match Report
After a long, hard season with many twists and turns, the final competitive act of the FC United season was played out at Mossley on a cool Tuesday night. It was witnessed by a healthy visiting support. It was hardly a serene procession but it did lead to the main event of the evening, the presentation of the North West Youth Alliance Premier Division Trophy to delirious bunch of first teamers in waiting.
The game itself was won 2-1 by Mossley and on the run of the nights play was a fair result but could have been so much different. Jake Haslam, who had opened the scoring early in the Manchester FA Youth Cup meeting at Seel Park earlier in the season, struck even quicker here. With less than a minute gone an FC United free kick was fired forward towards Dylan Moloney on the edge of the box. It appeared from the touchline that the bounce on a firm pitch evaded him and the two Mossley Central Defenders leaving Jake free to run in and fire home.
A naked flame in the shape of Matthew Tierney was introduced to proceedings in the 17th minute when the officials awarded Mossley a corner. From the distance of the far touchline on half way the decision seemed debateable although both referee and linesman were much closer. Matty’s disagreement, from the edge of the penalty area was deemed a little too vociferous and he was booked. A second caution followed fifteen minutes later at the end of a passage of play in which FC felt they should have been awarded a throw in but weren’t. The ball was quickly moved up field and Mossley were awarded a penalty. After much touchline debate in which Obied Elghreaw replaced Sam Howell to shore up the defence, Alex Byrne’s kick was saved by Andrew Farrimond.
Unfortunately the FC side failed to re-organise sufficiently in the remainder of the first half and Mossley were able to fashion two goals which were made to look easy with Sam Jones and Alex Byrne applying the finishing touches.
The half time break allowed FC management to refocus minds for the second half and although Mossley had most of the possession their play, rather like their performance at St Brides looked pretty without seriously testing the FC defence. A period midway through saw the home team have three successive corners but no end result and on the hour, their own England Schoolboy Fabio Abreu spoilt an otherwise useful performance when seemingly alone at the far post as a cross came toward him could only turn it onto that far post and it rebounded up to a grateful Andrew Farrimond.
That is not to say that FC didn’t pose a threat, after fifty minutes a free kick reached the previous day’s first team debutante, Jay Walcott on the edge of the box with his back to goal. His turn and shot flying narrowly wide. A nervous Mossley back line had been chased down at every opportunity in the first half and although the reorganisation saw FC retreat and largely allow them possession at the back, Jay was unlucky to see a successful blocking move fly wide late in the game.
Although Mossley still have three games to play, FC have completed their season and the 18 match unbeaten run saw them accumulate a points total that the home side can’t match. They have the consolation of having won the FA Youth Cup and an NWYA Open Cup final to come but defeat to Morecambe over the weekend in the Premier Division Cup prevented them collecting all the remaining prizes on offer. FC left Seel Park with the trophy firmly in Darren Lyons hands and the right to add the words League Champions to their footballing CV.
Many of the team have been combining Sunday youth team action with Saturday games for North West Counties outfits. What remains to be seen is how many have impressed Karl Marginson enough to be given a chance in next season’s first team squad.
FC United of Manchester: Andrew Farrimond, Ryan Lyons, Carl Fitton, Harrison Reeve, Matthew Tierney, Jordan Dainty, Lee Worswick (Davison Banda 60 mins), Jake Haslam, Sam Howell (Obied Elghreaw 33 mins), Dylan Moloney (James Green 87 mins), Jay Walcott. Subs not use: Aron Buckley Smith and Luke Kolakowski.
Goal: Jake Haslam (1 min).
Yellow Cards: Matthew Tierney, Jake Haslam, Jay Walcott.
Red Card: Matthew Tierney.
Match Report
After a long, hard season with many twists and turns, the final competitive act of the FC United season was played out at Mossley on a cool Tuesday night. It was witnessed by a healthy visiting support. It was hardly a serene procession but it did lead to the main event of the evening, the presentation of the North West Youth Alliance Premier Division Trophy to delirious bunch of first teamers in waiting.
The game itself was won 2-1 by Mossley and on the run of the nights play was a fair result but could have been so much different. Jake Haslam, who had opened the scoring early in the Manchester FA Youth Cup meeting at Seel Park earlier in the season, struck even quicker here. With less than a minute gone an FC United free kick was fired forward towards Dylan Moloney on the edge of the box. It appeared from the touchline that the bounce on a firm pitch evaded him and the two Mossley Central Defenders leaving Jake free to run in and fire home.
A naked flame in the shape of Matthew Tierney was introduced to proceedings in the 17th minute when the officials awarded Mossley a corner. From the distance of the far touchline on half way the decision seemed debateable although both referee and linesman were much closer. Matty’s disagreement, from the edge of the penalty area was deemed a little too vociferous and he was booked. A second caution followed fifteen minutes later at the end of a passage of play in which FC felt they should have been awarded a throw in but weren’t. The ball was quickly moved up field and Mossley were awarded a penalty. After much touchline debate in which Obied Elghreaw replaced Sam Howell to shore up the defence, Alex Byrne’s kick was saved by Andrew Farrimond.
Unfortunately the FC side failed to re-organise sufficiently in the remainder of the first half and Mossley were able to fashion two goals which were made to look easy with Sam Jones and Alex Byrne applying the finishing touches.
The half time break allowed FC management to refocus minds for the second half and although Mossley had most of the possession their play, rather like their performance at St Brides looked pretty without seriously testing the FC defence. A period midway through saw the home team have three successive corners but no end result and on the hour, their own England Schoolboy Fabio Abreu spoilt an otherwise useful performance when seemingly alone at the far post as a cross came toward him could only turn it onto that far post and it rebounded up to a grateful Andrew Farrimond.
That is not to say that FC didn’t pose a threat, after fifty minutes a free kick reached the previous day’s first team debutante, Jay Walcott on the edge of the box with his back to goal. His turn and shot flying narrowly wide. A nervous Mossley back line had been chased down at every opportunity in the first half and although the reorganisation saw FC retreat and largely allow them possession at the back, Jay was unlucky to see a successful blocking move fly wide late in the game.
Although Mossley still have three games to play, FC have completed their season and the 18 match unbeaten run saw them accumulate a points total that the home side can’t match. They have the consolation of having won the FA Youth Cup and an NWYA Open Cup final to come but defeat to Morecambe over the weekend in the Premier Division Cup prevented them collecting all the remaining prizes on offer. FC left Seel Park with the trophy firmly in Darren Lyons hands and the right to add the words League Champions to their footballing CV.
Many of the team have been combining Sunday youth team action with Saturday games for North West Counties outfits. What remains to be seen is how many have impressed Karl Marginson enough to be given a chance in next season’s first team squad.
FC United of Manchester: Andrew Farrimond, Ryan Lyons, Carl Fitton, Harrison Reeve, Matthew Tierney, Jordan Dainty, Lee Worswick (Davison Banda 60 mins), Jake Haslam, Sam Howell (Obied Elghreaw 33 mins), Dylan Moloney (James Green 87 mins), Jay Walcott. Subs not use: Aron Buckley Smith and Luke Kolakowski.
Goal: Jake Haslam (1 min).
Yellow Cards: Matthew Tierney, Jake Haslam, Jay Walcott.
Red Card: Matthew Tierney.
