First County Cup game of the season and The Rose welcomed a Manchester Amateur Sunday League side Nello James, after they arrived at The Cathedral and stopped squabbling about the lack of facilities they were reminded this is sunday league football lets get on with it!!
Game started slow and neither team really got going in the first half, the game lacked any flowing football and neither side produced much more then half chances, and the ref spoilt most of the attacking football with stupid decisions either for offsides or minor fouls, both teams ended the half quite disappointed.
The only talking point from the first half was the Mike Brady getting bullied (again) and coming off the field with a bloody nose, shown below
With a little round up at half time, both teams got a bit louder and the game finally started, The Rose started the better team but with some slack defending from the home side, Nello James took the lead beating the angry Rose keeper at his front post.
This really kicked started The Rose and for the next fifteen minutes they dominated the game, The Rose's first goal came from a good run outside the box from Michael McElvaney who cut inside from the right onto his weaker left foot and struck home past the Nello James keeper, minutes later The Rose got a free kick on the edge of the oppositions box, following a discussion between Mark Terris and Brady, Brady stepped up and finished with a quality free kick over the wall and into the roof of the net leaving the keeper stranded.
The Rose continued on the front foot and following some good football the ball fell too Darren Dunleavy in the Nello James box who then dinked the ball of the keeper with his left boot that is usally just used for standing on!! Did you see that TEZ!!
The Rose took there foot of the pedal for a few minutes and Nello James snook in and got a second, The Rose team got a little frustrated but kept on pushing and there fourth come from a nice ball over the top and Michael Oggy Hoggard ran through for the 20th time this season and finally got his season started and finished lobbing the keeper with a good finish and at this point the whole team was buzzing!!
Following a few changes new boys Liam Muzz and Mike Seers came on and got there chance, the game looked set to finish 4-2 with some half decent chances for both teams but nothing that really threatened either keeper, but then the final ten minutes and The Rose were caught knapping in both the 82 and 88th minutes leaving The Rose manager and spectators raging.
EXTRA TIME
The Rose manager decided to remind the players to put the last 90 minutes behind them and focus on the the next 30 in front of them,
With the lads wound up and ready to go, the first half started well with both teams pushing but The Rose stood firm and with a ball over the top, up pops the substitute Lil Oggy and heads over the keeper to take the game to 5-4....
...for the remainder of extra time The Rose defended well and soaked up all the Nello James pressure and late on and created some good chances most of which fell to Mark Terris who "Try"ied but failed sending the ball high and over on a few occassions, but in the end the game finished 5-4 with The Rose deserving the victory even though they never really got out of 2nd gear.
A few good performances this week, one of which came from the debutant veteran Paul Taylor who proved in 120 minutes why he is a solid centre back with bags of composure.
Quote this week/ Cheek of the week
Nello James manager tried to claim the win this week because The Rose failed to provide changing facilities, cheeky b*****
Next round we've been drawn against De La Salle, team from the Salford Sunday League, looks like its going to be a tough game but if we play the way we can, we will beat anyone that is threw at us!!
