Match Report
In a pleasant Friday night jaunt across the Pennines, FC United of Manchester Reserves returned with three goals and three points. Their hosts RIASA South opened the scoring but two goals from Jack Ward and a powerful Dean Hope header gave the reds a 3-1 win.
The first half was goal-less, though not for a lack of effort by both sides, FC United started brightly with early efforts from Michael Jones, Dean Hope and Cameron Horner although that particular tide was high (and wide). Sam Summerbee featured heavily in a period of play including two corners in the eighth minute although that spell ended with a free kick to RIASA midway into their own half. That saw an audacious attempt to score directly that had Jupp running backwards to ensure it drifted off target. The home side had a good spell of pressure with a free kick and then a Nathan Neptun header clearing the FC United cross bar.
The reds worked their way back into the game and had most of the chances for the next quarter of an hour and it seemed only a matter of time before Cameron Horner found the right finish although both sides had good chances to score in the final five minutes. Adam Lockett headed over his own bar to clear a Donovan Price corner and was denied only by a spectacular save from Andrew Thompson at the other end.
If the finishing was wayward in the first half, it was vastly improved early in the second. With scarcely a minute on the clock a through ball saw Price beyond the reds back line to round Jupp and slot home comfortably. A win at Broadhurst park for RIASA South earlier in the season suggested that might make things difficult for the reds, but not so as within five minutes they had equalised and taken the lead.
Horner turned provider as first he ran on to a pass from Jack Ward, his shot was saved by Thompson but the rebound was converted by Ward. A break down the touch line saw him cross for Ward to finish a minute later.
Whilst RIASA had chances to get something from the game, Chase Ealy had a shot over and Price pounced on a lack of defensive concentration midway through the half, the reds saw the game out without too much trouble.
Horner made it a hat trick of assists on 74 minutes when he somehow created space for himself near the right corner flag, his pinpoint cross was powerfully headed back in to the corner of the goal by Hope.
Jack O’Leary hit the bar with a cross cum shot from out on the left and Jack Ward was unfortunate not to complete his hat trick in the final ten minutes as firstly the result of a free kick interchange with Hope and then as the result of play featuring a cameo appearance by Rhodri Giggs.
RIASA South:
1. Andrew Thompson
2. Jaxn Rogers
3. Nathan Neptun
4. Chris Allen
5. Jordan Abrahamson
6. Paul Macfarlane
7. Brian Wolverton
8. Tristan Knudsen
9. Donovan Price
10. Christian McKeown
11. Michael Braithwaite
Substitutes:
14. Isreal Kinyolo
17. James Hurd
18. Joseph DeMartino
19. Chase Ealy
FC United of Manchester:
1. Ben Jupp
2. Dan Cooke
3. Jack O’Leary
4. Mike Jones
5. Marius Isdruga
6. Adam Lockett
7. Sam Summerbee
8. Dean Hope
9. Cameron Horner
10. Chris Hill
11. Jack Ward
Substitutes:
12. Joel Bestley (for 4, 64 mins)
14. Kamahl Fuller (for 7, 58 mins)
18. Rhodri Giggs (for 9, 87 mins)
20. Nathan Chorlton (for 2, 52 mins)
Match Report
In a pleasant Friday night jaunt across the Pennines, FC United of Manchester Reserves returned with three goals and three points. Their hosts RIASA South opened the scoring but two goals from Jack Ward and a powerful Dean Hope header gave the reds a 3-1 win.
The first half was goal-less, though not for a lack of effort by both sides, FC United started brightly with early efforts from Michael Jones, Dean Hope and Cameron Horner although that particular tide was high (and wide). Sam Summerbee featured heavily in a period of play including two corners in the eighth minute although that spell ended with a free kick to RIASA midway into their own half. That saw an audacious attempt to score directly that had Jupp running backwards to ensure it drifted off target. The home side had a good spell of pressure with a free kick and then a Nathan Neptun header clearing the FC United cross bar.
The reds worked their way back into the game and had most of the chances for the next quarter of an hour and it seemed only a matter of time before Cameron Horner found the right finish although both sides had good chances to score in the final five minutes. Adam Lockett headed over his own bar to clear a Donovan Price corner and was denied only by a spectacular save from Andrew Thompson at the other end.
If the finishing was wayward in the first half, it was vastly improved early in the second. With scarcely a minute on the clock a through ball saw Price beyond the reds back line to round Jupp and slot home comfortably. A win at Broadhurst park for RIASA South earlier in the season suggested that might make things difficult for the reds, but not so as within five minutes they had equalised and taken the lead.
Horner turned provider as first he ran on to a pass from Jack Ward, his shot was saved by Thompson but the rebound was converted by Ward. A break down the touch line saw him cross for Ward to finish a minute later.
Whilst RIASA had chances to get something from the game, Chase Ealy had a shot over and Price pounced on a lack of defensive concentration midway through the half, the reds saw the game out without too much trouble.
Horner made it a hat trick of assists on 74 minutes when he somehow created space for himself near the right corner flag, his pinpoint cross was powerfully headed back in to the corner of the goal by Hope.
Jack O’Leary hit the bar with a cross cum shot from out on the left and Jack Ward was unfortunate not to complete his hat trick in the final ten minutes as firstly the result of a free kick interchange with Hope and then as the result of play featuring a cameo appearance by Rhodri Giggs.
RIASA South:
1. Andrew Thompson
2. Jaxn Rogers
3. Nathan Neptun
4. Chris Allen
5. Jordan Abrahamson
6. Paul Macfarlane
7. Brian Wolverton
8. Tristan Knudsen
9. Donovan Price
10. Christian McKeown
11. Michael Braithwaite
Substitutes:
14. Isreal Kinyolo
17. James Hurd
18. Joseph DeMartino
19. Chase Ealy
FC United of Manchester:
1. Ben Jupp
2. Dan Cooke
3. Jack O’Leary
4. Mike Jones
5. Marius Isdruga
6. Adam Lockett
7. Sam Summerbee
8. Dean Hope
9. Cameron Horner
10. Chris Hill
11. Jack Ward
Substitutes:
12. Joel Bestley (for 4, 64 mins)
14. Kamahl Fuller (for 7, 58 mins)
18. Rhodri Giggs (for 9, 87 mins)
20. Nathan Chorlton (for 2, 52 mins)
