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Match Report

11th May 2013

EvoStik League Premier Division - Play Offs

Keys Park, Keys Park Road, Hednesford, Staffs, WS12 2DZ


Hednesford Town

2 - 1

FC United of Manchester

Harvey 2
Osborne 32
  Norton 56
Attendance: 4,412

Hednesford Town 2

Harvey 2
Osborne 32

FC United of Manchester 1

Norton 56

Attendance: 4,412


Hednesford Town

1 Dan Crane
2 John Disney
3 Darren Campion (capt)
4 Ben Bailey
5 Francino Francis
6 Dave Macpherson
7 Jamey Osborne
8 Elliott Durrell
9 Neil Harvey
10 Michael Lennon
11 Kris Taylor

Subs:
12 Aaron Rey (for 10, 68 mins)
14 Nathan Woolfe (for 9, 90 mins)
15 Alex Melbourne (for 6, 65 mins)

FC United of Manchester

1 Jon Worsnop
2 Kyle Jacobs (capt)
3 Lee Neville
4 Dave Birch
5 Dean Stott
6 Kevin Masirika
7 Matthew Wolfenden
8 Oliver Banks
9 Mike Norton
10 Jerome Wright
11 Astley Mulholland

Subs.
12 Tom Greaves (for 11, 41 mins)
14 Matthew Tierney (for 4, 80 mins)
16 Jake Cottrell (for 6, 41 mins)


Match Report
It was third time unlucky for FC United on Saturday afternoon as the Reds lost the Evo-Stik Premier Division play-off final 2-1 away to Hednesford Town in a closely fought match

United found themselves 2-0 down after a disappointing first half, and despite a good second half fight back the Reds couldn’t find a way through and suffered defeat at the final hurdle for the third season running.

As the game began United found themselves behind within two minutes as some poor defensive work saw Neil Harvey end up with the easiest of finishes inside the six yard box to give the Pitmen the lead.

In the first half United just couldn’t get going and a string of mis-placed balls and poor touches meant they couldn’t get a firm footing in the game and on top of this the Pitmen looked dangerous every time they got the ball with Harvey giving young United defender Kevin Masirika a torrid time.

The Reds did get forward a few times but even then the efforts were half chances at best with sliced shots from Wright and Wolfenden being the only thing of note from the opening half hour.

It got worse for the reds just after the half hour mark as Harvey once more got the better of Masirika before finding Jamey Osborne in the box to double their lead and put United in all kinds of trouble.

Recognising the need for a change Margy took Masirika and Mulholland off, replacing them with Cottrell and Greaves, and from this point United got their foot on the ball and worked their way back into the game.

Tom Greaves had the best chance just before the halftime whistle when Norton placed him in on the right hand side of the box, but he powered the shot well over the bar but the signs were encouraging for United to stage a second half comeback.

It would have been easy to roll over and take the defeat at this stage, but that simply isn’t the United way and as the United faithful kept up their vocal support all the way through the half time interval United came back onto the field and took the game to the home side.

Within ten minutes of the second half United had found a way back into the game after a Tom Greaves corner from the right was met by the head of Mike Norton, who powered the ball into the back of the net and give the reds a lifeline.

At this point you got the feeling that maybe, just maybe United could do this and they had a great chance just minutes later as Matthew Wolfenden got his shot away at goal, beating Dan Crane before seeing his effort bounce back off the bar.

Every time United got the ball and came forward now there was a roar from the United faithful; who made up two thirds of the 4,412 attendance, with a real expectation that there would be an equalising goal.

Oliver Banks had a great effort and came close to levelling things with a low driven free kick which cut the grass on its way through, leaving Crane rooted to the spot before going inches wide.

There was then a great shout for a penalty as a ball from the right was caught by the wind causing all kinds of difficulties for the home defenders before bouncing in the box right in front of Mike Norton, just as the reds front man looked like he was going to get the ball in came a challenge which left would of left Norton checking if he still had his wallet on him, but the referee waved away the appeals.

At the same time United rode their look as the home team came forward looking to close things with a third goal and saw the post deny them that before being cleared by some frantic defending.

Matthew Wolfenden came closest to levelling things up late on with a run through the heart of the home defence before seeing his poked effort at the bottom corner just saved by Dan Crane.

But once more the play-off final proved one step too much for the Reds and the fans and players now have to lift themselves for the next season and another push towards the Conference North.

Despite the defeat it would be a good time to take the positives from the season, a season which has saw out highest league finish and our highest points total at this level. Also, with our own ground just over the horizon there are more than a few plus points to see us through after another crushing end to the season.

Website man of the match: Kyle Jacobs – The United captain led by example in the second half and showed the fighting spirit that was needed after a poor first half.

Report by Craig Phillips.
Match Report
It was third time unlucky for FC United on Saturday afternoon as the Reds lost the Evo-Stik Premier Division play-off final 2-1 away to Hednesford Town in a closely fought match

United found themselves 2-0 down after a disappointing first half, and despite a good second half fight back the Reds couldn’t find a way through and suffered defeat at the final hurdle for the third season running.

As the game began United found themselves behind within two minutes as some poor defensive work saw Neil Harvey end up with the easiest of finishes inside the six yard box to give the Pitmen the lead.

In the first half United just couldn’t get going and a string of mis-placed balls and poor touches meant they couldn’t get a firm footing in the game and on top of this the Pitmen looked dangerous every time they got the ball with Harvey giving young United defender Kevin Masirika a torrid time.

The Reds did get forward a few times but even then the efforts were half chances at best with sliced shots from Wright and Wolfenden being the only thing of note from the opening half hour.

It got worse for the reds just after the half hour mark as Harvey once more got the better of Masirika before finding Jamey Osborne in the box to double their lead and put United in all kinds of trouble.

Recognising the need for a change Margy took Masirika and Mulholland off, replacing them with Cottrell and Greaves, and from this point United got their foot on the ball and worked their way back into the game.

Tom Greaves had the best chance just before the halftime whistle when Norton placed him in on the right hand side of the box, but he powered the shot well over the bar but the signs were encouraging for United to stage a second half comeback.

It would have been easy to roll over and take the defeat at this stage, but that simply isn’t the United way and as the United faithful kept up their vocal support all the way through the half time interval United came back onto the field and took the game to the home side.

Within ten minutes of the second half United had found a way back into the game after a Tom Greaves corner from the right was met by the head of Mike Norton, who powered the ball into the back of the net and give the reds a lifeline.

At this point you got the feeling that maybe, just maybe United could do this and they had a great chance just minutes later as Matthew Wolfenden got his shot away at goal, beating Dan Crane before seeing his effort bounce back off the bar.

Every time United got the ball and came forward now there was a roar from the United faithful; who made up two thirds of the 4,412 attendance, with a real expectation that there would be an equalising goal.

Oliver Banks had a great effort and came close to levelling things with a low driven free kick which cut the grass on its way through, leaving Crane rooted to the spot before going inches wide.

There was then a great shout for a penalty as a ball from the right was caught by the wind causing all kinds of difficulties for the home defenders before bouncing in the box right in front of Mike Norton, just as the reds front man looked like he was going to get the ball in came a challenge which left would of left Norton checking if he still had his wallet on him, but the referee waved away the appeals.

At the same time United rode their look as the home team came forward looking to close things with a third goal and saw the post deny them that before being cleared by some frantic defending.

Matthew Wolfenden came closest to levelling things up late on with a run through the heart of the home defence before seeing his poked effort at the bottom corner just saved by Dan Crane.

But once more the play-off final proved one step too much for the Reds and the fans and players now have to lift themselves for the next season and another push towards the Conference North.

Despite the defeat it would be a good time to take the positives from the season, a season which has saw out highest league finish and our highest points total at this level. Also, with our own ground just over the horizon there are more than a few plus points to see us through after another crushing end to the season.

Website man of the match: Kyle Jacobs – The United captain led by example in the second half and showed the fighting spirit that was needed after a poor first half.

Report by Craig Phillips.

Previous Matches
28/12/2015 1-1D
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08/12/2012 1-0L
02/09/2012 1-1D
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28/01/2012 2-0W
21/03/2009 2-2D
29/11/2008 3-0W