NORDEN & BAMFORD FINANCIAL SERVICES LEAGUE Q-FINAL
MIDLAND PHOENIX 4-2 LITTLEBOROUGH
Midland Phoenix progressed through to the semi-final of The Norden & Bamford Financial Services League Cup and will face Talbot Head this weekend after a hard fought 4-2 over Littleborough.
In a scrappy and rather tetchy opening, the game was brought to light by two exceptional pieces of skill as first Wayne Traynor replicated David Beckham's goal against Wimbledon all those years ago with an effort from near the halfway line before Connor McEvoy scored an equally sublime goal from a free-kick after Ben Fielding had been penalised for holding back Jimmy Needham. Those two goals gave Phoenix a real stranglehold on the game but in truth it could have been all square by the 20 minute mark had Tim Astley and Nathan Taylor not done better when in good positions for the visitors.
Despite the scoreline, the game remained in the balance but Midland seemed to have the upper hand in most areas. The ref , Gordon Schofield ,issuing yellow cards to 3 players before the half-hour mark, although Littleborough goalkeeper Jamie Roache will be relieved his card was only that colour after he brought down McEvoy inside the box as it appeared the striker simply had a tap-in. To rub salt into the wounds Roache then saved the resulting penalty.
Danny McWilliams nearly threw his side a lifeline on 35 minutes but his free-kick hit the bar before Nathan Taylor did register his side on the scoresheet after Phoenix failed to deal with a routine ball down the centre and Taylor raced clear to give keeper Stewart no chance. Kristian Evans then nearly equalised for 'Boro with a sublime half-volley from some 40 yards out that narrowly flew over the bar.
With just one goal now seperating the two sides a semi-final place was certainly still up for grabs and quite how Littleborough didn't equalise on 56 minutes remains a mystery. A slaloming run from John Thompson saw him beat 4 players before drawing a great save from the keeper; Danny Parker then saw his rebound blocked on the line before Thompon hit a post from the loose ball before it was eventually scrambled away to safety.
The visitors were now piling on the pressure and Parker and Thompson saw efforts fail to hit the back of the net before a last ditch tackle from Kyle Banner on 72 minutes saved what looked a golden chance again for the men in purple. However, despite the ongoing pressure the fourth goal of the game went the way of the home team on 80 minutes when McEvoy crossed from the left and Todd Hayes had the simplest of tap-ins on the far post to give his side a 3-1 lead.
The goal prompted yet another reshuffle to the makeshift 'Boro line-up and they were rewarded on 86 minutes when Kristian Evans rose highest to head home and give his side a glimmer of hope. The problem is that the cynics say you are at your most vulnerable after you've just scored and so it proved as within seconds of the restart Todd Hayes raced through a static defence to lob keeper Roache and spark joyous scenes amongst his team-mates, appeals for a high foot by Littleborough defender Lee Kershaw were quite rightly in vein.
Further ill discipline by both sides saw more yellow cards before Ben Fielding was sent-off for violent conduct after a clash with Lee Diggle.
Danny McWilliams missed a late penalty after Lee Taylor had been penalised for a foul inside the box, which looked to have been outside the box. It just about summed up a poor day for Littleborough as this defeat means their season is now over for another year.
All in all Midland were good value for the win and now are looking forward to Sundays game with Talbot Head for a place in the final.
