Moorside vs Waterhouses
After holding out against early pressure, on 22 mins Jonathan Sneath lofted a delicate shot over the stranded keeper assisted by left back Mike Brown. On 26 mins giving a good physical presence captain, Gareth Jinks, was booked having being on the end of a late challenge. On 35 mins Jinks was involved again with a defense splitting ball through to forward Gareth Shenton, who calmly slotted the ball past the keeper. Just before half time Sneath produced another deft finish over the keeper. Half time 3-0. On 48 mins Sneath completed his hat trick scoring his penalty after he was brought down by the keeper, however, on 65 mins Waterhouses replied with a good far post finish. Waterhouses then began to apply pressure to a tiring Moorside team and added a further 2 goals in the closing minutes of the game. Final score 4-3. Man of the Match Mike Brown.
Horseshoe Inn vs Moorside
The first 15 mins saw a lot of preasure from Moorside and on 17 mins Shent scored a rocket of a shot from the edge of the box giving Horseshoes keeper no chance at all. Further to this leading scorer Sneath, from a very acute angle, struck a looping shot over the goalkeeper, 6 mins later Sneath scored again with a composed finish. On the half hour mark, having won a corner, Dave Turner swung the delivery under the keepers crossbar which the keeper could not deal with. However, as per the first game, Moorside took their foot off the gas and allowed Horseshoe to score 3 goals before the half time whistle, putting themselves back into the game. Half time 3-4. Second half started end to end until Rushton, after some tireless box to box running, advanced himself into the box and planted his shot past the keeper. Sneath completed his second hat trick in two games scoring on the 77th min after some good early work from Wright and Shent. Final score 3-6. Man of the Match Jonathan Sneath.
Moorside Old Boys V Flan O Briens.
TB Williamson Cup.
Moorsides first cup competition of the season saw the home side consede two goals in the first 20 minutes of the game. As with every other game this season Moorside lost another player through injury, captain Jinks had to leave the field with a hamstring injury adding to the list of injured players. However on 39 mins Dave Turner scored to make the score a little better leading into the break. Half Time 1-2. Moorside started the second Half as they finished the first, keeping up the pressure on the away side. Matt churchill providing good physical presence in midfield also using his long throws. On 50 mins Churchill again with a long throw into O Briens box saw Dave Turner finish at the far post to bring the game level 2-2. Both sides had a number of chances to finish the game but at 90 mins the game went into extra time. Full Time 2-2. As both teams tired quickly O Briens were able to capitalise on this, scoring two goals in quick sucession making the score 2-4. Which where the score remained giving moorside their first loss of the season. Full Time( extra time ) 2-4.
Waterhouses V Moorside OB
Moorside started the game putting waterhouses under pressure from the whistle and on 4 mins it paid of with Shenton scoring his third goal of the season from a corner to make it 0-1.Waterhouses reacted to this and turned the game on it's head applying constant pressure to moorsides defence and this held out until just before half time when Waterhouses replied again from a corner to make it 1-1. Half time 1-1. The game started evenly with neither side really creating any outright chances. Mid way through the second half Waterhouses scored a second but was cancelled out due to offside.As the game ran into the 90 minute mark Moorside had three quick successive chances to score but was thwarted by Waterhouses's goalie, woodwork and defending which finished the game even with Moorside's league season still unbeaten. Full time 1-1.
Brown Edge v Moorside OB
Moorside got off to a great start when in the first minute, having received the ball from JP, Daryl Wright turned in the box to fire the ball under the keepers body to make it 0-1. Moorside continued to pressure Brown Edge resulting in a corner on 8 minutes to which Wright headed his second goal of the game, straight from a Craig Turner kick 0-2. More Moorside chances were created and on 18 minutes Jonathan Sneath outpaced the left back to fire a low cross towards the nearpost only for Brown Edges number 5 to fire passed his own keeper 0-3. Half time 0-3. Moorside picked up from where they left off in the second half when on 60 mins Jonathan Sneath fired his 7th goal of the season past their keeper, whilst being involved in a goal mouth scramble 0-4. Second half subs Steve Chatterton and Alex Fradley gave renewed tempo to the game and on the 80th min Alex showed great control, took the ball on his thigh and struck a volley from 25 yards just fractionally going over the bar. The final goal of the game came when Sneath unselfishly chested the ball down into Wright's path to score his hat trick. Throughout the whole game the midfield was dominated by a strong and physical pairing of Matthew Churchill and Gareth Jinks, and once again Steve Leighton having been thrown in at the deep end kept a clean sheet in the goals. Full time 0-5. Man of the Match Rob Beswick.
Biddulph Roaring Meg v Moorside Old Boys
The LM Bateman cup saw league leaders of division one and division two of the leek & district league drawn against each other. The game started slowly with neither team creating any chances. Due to a small pitch Moorside found it difficult to get any control of the game and due to this Biddulph started to create chances and on 10 mins a long throw into Moorside's goal mouth saw their number four head home unchallenged to put Biddulph ahead 1-0. Biddulph began to put pressure on Moorside and on 15 mins this paid of as they were awarded a penalty for a push in the box, which was converted to stretch Biddulphs lead 2-0. What chances Moorside made were matched by Biddulph's keeper who was in fine form reacting to everything put to him. Due to this the first half was won by Biddulph. Half Time 2-0 Moorside started the second half with formation change and this paid off straight away when Gaz Shenton reacting to a loose ball fired in Moorside's first goal of the game 2-1. On 52mins Moorside drew level with another long throw from Matt Churchill which was flicked on into the path of Dave Turner who placed his shoot passed the keeper 2-2. Moorside took total control of the game and began to win corner after corner and create chances but still found Biddulphs keeper fighting back. Full Time 2-2 Moorside's dominance continued into extra time and after some five mins in Shent pounced onto Biddulphs keepers first error of the game and from a wide angle put his shot goal bound Daz Wright and tapped the ball into an open net to put Moorside infront 2-3. In the second period of extra time both teams tired and with five minutes to go, Moorside got their fourth goal with a quickly taken corner by Craig Turner an advancing Justin Rushton slotted his shot passed Biddulphs keeper taking Moorside through to the second round. Full Score 2-4
Ipstones v Moorside old Boys
Top played second in this crunch first division game both teams locked at the top of the league. Ipstones started much stronger with their midfield dictating the game, Moorside struggled to keep posession with this and Ipstones took the lead after only 3 minutes 1-0. Ipstones went from strength to strength but given all the pressure Moorside were under they kept the score at 1-0 and on 18 minutes were unlucky not to equalise through Gaz Shentons shot which hit the post and firing the rebound just over the bar. However on 20 minutes Ipstones extended their lead to 2-0 on 35minutes Jonathan sneath had a snap shot which just went wide of the mark still leaving Moorside goaless and it stayed that way until half time. Moorside came out into the second half more positive and took the game to Ipstones, this payed off early when Daz Wright rose to head the ball across the keeper to make it 2-1. Ipstones didn't respond to this and there was more good play from Moorside, 5 minutes later Wright struck again with a shot fired in above the keepers head to bring the game all square 2-2. With the game all square both teams pushed forward to regain the lead and on 70 minutes it again went in favour of Ipstones 3-2. Moorside kept on the pressure, substitute Matt sneath brought some extra running with his fresh legs and this turned the game in Moorside's favour as the 90 minute mark approached. Moorside gained a free kick just inside the halfway line Craig Turner guided the ball into the box which found it's way to Wright who turned and volleyed his third into the top corner of Ipstones net to bring the game all square spoiling Ipstones celebrations the match finishing all square keeping Moorside top of the league on goal difference. Full time 3-3