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United close in on title

After securing promotion on Saturday, FC United took another step towards sealing the North West Counties Division One title with a 3-0 victory over local rivals Maine Road in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd of 3,605.

The victory, which came courtesy of goals from Rory Patterson, Dave Brown and Rob Nugent, means that only Curzon Ashton can stop the Reds from clinching back-to-back titles. If the Tamesiders fail to win at Formby on Thursday night, a win away at Colne on Saturday would effectively make United champions.

Despite Maine Road starting the game brightly they soon found themselves behind to a 16-minute Patterson goal. Rhodri Giggs found the young Irishman on the right hand side and the Reds forward drilled the ball across the goal in where Maine Road’s Neil Chappell got a touch to help it into the back of the net.

Jerome Wright was having a lot of joy on the left hand side against his old club and a lot of his deliveries were being put into dangerous areas, however, headers from both Giggs and Stuart Rudd failed to beat the Road ‘keeper Greg Hall.

United doubled their lead just on the brink of halt time. Wright whipped in yet another pinpoint delivery, this time from a free kick on the right hand side and Brown was the man to head home in front of the Manchester Road End.

Margy’s men continued the second half as they had finished the first. Matty Taylor found himself in the box shortly before the hour mark after making a run from his own half, unfortunately his blistering shot was pushed wide by Hall. A minute later Simon Carden went close, just from the edge of the 18-yard box his shot went marginally over the Blues’ goal.

Just after the hour mark, Rudd was left one-on-one with the Maine Road ‘keeper Hall and you’d have banked on the Reds forward to come out on top, however he forced two great saves from Hall.

Despite the double save the resulting corner led to FC United’s third. Substitute Josh Howard whipped the ball in and there was Nugent unmarked and easily headed home to add his name to the score sheet.

Maine Road almost went away with a consolation goal in the last minute only to be denied by a combination of goal line clearances and an excellent point blank save by Sam Ashton.

Karl Marginson was extremely satisfied with another three points. He said: "Second half I think we were absolutely excellent, we moved the ball and kept the ball well. The boys have received big pats on the backs in there for the way they conducted themselves in the second half."??

John Hill

Match information:

FC United
1. S Ashton
2. M Taylor
3. A Mortimer
4. N Platt
5. D Brown
6. R Nugent
7. R Giggs
8. S Carden
9. S Rudd
10. J Wright
11. R Patterson (capt)
Subs
12. J Howard (for 7 57)
13.
14. S Spencer (for 2 69)
15. G Sampson (for 8 69)

Scorers: Patterson 17, Brown 45(+1), Nugent 62

Sponsors’ (Dalemillhomefragrance) Man of the Match: Dave Brown

Maine Road FC
1. G Hall
2. C Marshall
3. S Mason
4. A Roberts
5. O McGee
6. N Chappell (capt)
7. S Cheetham
8. M Mitchell
9. G Richards
10. L Mack
11. J Halsall
Subs
12. M Turner (for 11 70)
13.
14. A Maclean (for 6 67)
15. S Halligan (for 10 84)


First Posted ~ 09:39 Tue 10 Apr 2007
News ID ~ 927
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021