FC United of Manchester FC United of Manchester FC United of Manchester Badge FC United of Manchester Pitch In

Match Report

21st April 2012

EvoStik League Premier Division

Gigg Lane, Gigg Lane, Bury, BL9 9HR


FC United of Manchester

4 - 1

Northwich Victoria

Cottrell 24
Johnson 32
Wolfenden 48, 60
  Clarke 90 (+2)
Attendance: 2,542

FC United of Manchester 4

Cottrell 24
Johnson 32
Wolfenden 48, 60

Northwich Victoria 1

Clarke 90 (+2)

Attendance: 2,542


FC United of Manchester

1 James Spencer
2 Kyle Jacobs (capt)
3 Lee Neville
4 Jake Cottrell
5 Dean Stott
6 Greg Stones
7 Carlos Roca
8 Matthew Wolfenden
9 Mike Norton
10 Nick Platt
11 Stephen Johnson

Subs.
12 Scott Cheetham (for 11, 72 mins)
14 Daniel Grimshaw (for 4, 88 mins)
15 Richard Battersby (for 10, 78 mins)

Northwich Victoria

1 B Hinchcliffe
2 G Law
3 D Fitzpatrick
4 D Collins
5 I Kearney (capt)
6 T Field
7 M Roddy
8 K Armstrong
9 C Budrys
10 R Wade
11 N Woolfe

Subs:
12 T Evans (for 6, 57 mins)
15 J Johnson (for 7, 57 mins)
16 M Clarke (for 9, 57 mins)


Match Report
FC United will have to wait to learn their play-off fate this week from the FA despite beating Northwich Victoria 4-1 on Saturday afternoon at Gigg Lane with goals from Jake Cottrell, Stephen Johnson and two from Matthew Wolfenden.

Nearest rivals Hednesford scraped into the play-off places with a 0-0 draw against Worksop. In order to make the play-offs, the Reds needed the Pitmen to lose but the Midlands outfit did just enough to cling on and guarantee that they will have a shot at promotion.

United must now wait to see whether the FA will reject second placed Northwich’s appeal against expulsion from the league for breaching rules. If so, the Reds may sneak into the play-offs at the Vics’ expense.

Knowing their fate was out of their own hands only seemed to relieve any pressure on the Reds as they turned in one of the performances of the season with such a good result against the second placed Vics.

This visitors had started brightly looking to get forward early on but balls across the box did little to trouble James Spencer in the United goal, and before too long United found themselves right in the game after Nicky Platt’s effort just went over the bar.

From that point on United pushed on and after 25 minutes a Mike Norton ball across the box from the right was fired into the roof of the net by Jake Cottrell to give United the lead they deserved.

United kept the pressure coming and doubled their lead just ten minutes later as Stephen Johnson rose well in the box to head home a cross from the left to put United in a wonderful position coming into the break.

With United two goals to the good in their tie attention turned to the score between Worksop and Hednesford, with the United faithful knowing any breakthrough in that game would be vital to their play off hopes.

On the pitch the players didn’t seem distracted by events elsewhere and within minutes of the restart United were three up. Some good work on the right by Carlos Roca saw a ball to the far post fired towards goal by Lee Neville, an excellent goal line clearance saw Neville denied but Matthew Wolfenden poked the ball towards goal and a mix up between goal keeper and defence saw Wolfenden get a second bite at the apple and just squeeze the ball home.

Three goals to the good United became more and more confident and two long range efforts went close for the Reds as Kyle Jacobs and Nicky Platt fired almost identical shots towards the Vics goal, but saw their efforts saved by Northwich ‘keeper Ben Hinchcliffe.

On the hour mark Matthew Wolfenden made it four after two Vics defenders failed to deal with Carlos Roca on the left his effort was pawed away by Hinchcliffe, Norton got to the rebound but found the bar before Wolfenden completed the move with another simple goal from only a few yards out. The goal was Wolfenden’s 20th of the season, a tally only beaten by league player of the year Steve Foster of Chorley.

Still the United fans checked nervously looking to see if there was any news from the Hednesford fixture, and even ‘ironic’ chants of “Worksop, give us a goal??? were heard from the stands.

Northwich grabbed a late consolation goal late on through substitute Michael Clarke, but United were simply wonderful on this afternoon and should it be their last game of the season they signed off on a truly high note.

United must now wait to see whether the FA will reject second placed Northwich’s appeal against expulsion from the league for breaching rules. If so, the Reds may sneak into the play-offs at the Vics’ expense.

Website man of the match: Matthew Wolfenden – Another great performance from Wolfie, and grabbed a couple of goals too.

Report by Craig Phillips.
Match Report
FC United will have to wait to learn their play-off fate this week from the FA despite beating Northwich Victoria 4-1 on Saturday afternoon at Gigg Lane with goals from Jake Cottrell, Stephen Johnson and two from Matthew Wolfenden.

Nearest rivals Hednesford scraped into the play-off places with a 0-0 draw against Worksop. In order to make the play-offs, the Reds needed the Pitmen to lose but the Midlands outfit did just enough to cling on and guarantee that they will have a shot at promotion.

United must now wait to see whether the FA will reject second placed Northwich’s appeal against expulsion from the league for breaching rules. If so, the Reds may sneak into the play-offs at the Vics’ expense.

Knowing their fate was out of their own hands only seemed to relieve any pressure on the Reds as they turned in one of the performances of the season with such a good result against the second placed Vics.

This visitors had started brightly looking to get forward early on but balls across the box did little to trouble James Spencer in the United goal, and before too long United found themselves right in the game after Nicky Platt’s effort just went over the bar.

From that point on United pushed on and after 25 minutes a Mike Norton ball across the box from the right was fired into the roof of the net by Jake Cottrell to give United the lead they deserved.

United kept the pressure coming and doubled their lead just ten minutes later as Stephen Johnson rose well in the box to head home a cross from the left to put United in a wonderful position coming into the break.

With United two goals to the good in their tie attention turned to the score between Worksop and Hednesford, with the United faithful knowing any breakthrough in that game would be vital to their play off hopes.

On the pitch the players didn’t seem distracted by events elsewhere and within minutes of the restart United were three up. Some good work on the right by Carlos Roca saw a ball to the far post fired towards goal by Lee Neville, an excellent goal line clearance saw Neville denied but Matthew Wolfenden poked the ball towards goal and a mix up between goal keeper and defence saw Wolfenden get a second bite at the apple and just squeeze the ball home.

Three goals to the good United became more and more confident and two long range efforts went close for the Reds as Kyle Jacobs and Nicky Platt fired almost identical shots towards the Vics goal, but saw their efforts saved by Northwich ‘keeper Ben Hinchcliffe.

On the hour mark Matthew Wolfenden made it four after two Vics defenders failed to deal with Carlos Roca on the left his effort was pawed away by Hinchcliffe, Norton got to the rebound but found the bar before Wolfenden completed the move with another simple goal from only a few yards out. The goal was Wolfenden’s 20th of the season, a tally only beaten by league player of the year Steve Foster of Chorley.

Still the United fans checked nervously looking to see if there was any news from the Hednesford fixture, and even ‘ironic’ chants of “Worksop, give us a goal??? were heard from the stands.

Northwich grabbed a late consolation goal late on through substitute Michael Clarke, but United were simply wonderful on this afternoon and should it be their last game of the season they signed off on a truly high note.

United must now wait to see whether the FA will reject second placed Northwich’s appeal against expulsion from the league for breaching rules. If so, the Reds may sneak into the play-offs at the Vics’ expense.

Website man of the match: Matthew Wolfenden – Another great performance from Wolfie, and grabbed a couple of goals too.

Report by Craig Phillips.

Previous Matches
24/02/2013 1-1D
02/09/2012 0-2W
17/12/2011 2-1L
20/11/2011 4-1W
09/10/2011 0-3W
23/08/2011 1-5W
09/04/2011 1-0W
13/11/2010 1-0L
24/10/2009 3-0L