Town 6 vs Vickerstown 2 (Richardson Cup 1st Round)

It was a cold Wednesday night but plenty of spectators were treated to a fantastic game of football which saw eight goals, three spot kicks and a sending off.

An ecstatic Lee Ashcroft commented: ‘Some of our forward play was superb tonight. It’s more like how I want us to play. Ash Ball was as bright as he has been, Brad took his two goals very well. I took him off just as a precaution ahead of Saturday. Going forward we were a joy to watch on a heavy pitch. Saying that, Vickerstown are not a bad side going forward and they caused us some problems and it wasn’t as comfortable as the scoreline suggests. We did make it difficult for ourselves in the second half and took our foot off the pedal.’

Town raced into the lead after three minutes. There was nice play by Town in midfield, Ash Ball threaded the ball through to Brad Carsley who raced through and beat the Vickerstown number one. Before long it was two. Carsley raced through collecting a pass from midfield and the onform striker wasn’t going to miss.

It was all one way traffic with Town looking to add to their two goal cushion. A smart free kick from Alex O’Rourke found Ryan McKenna who drove down the left before firing towards goal, his effort was well saved. Then a Keiran Walmsley pass found Carsley and after a poor touch from the defender he fired at goal from just outside the area but the keeper got a solid palm to it. Shortly after Brad Carsley was replaced by brother Troy ahead of Saturday’s massive fixture with Charnock.

Ash Ball was the next town player to come close in the 26th minute. Jonty McDonald was in space towards goal and played in Ball who forced the Vickerstown keeper into a save. A minute later the two combined again and Ball was fouled by the keeper. Keiran Walmsley, as confident as you like, stepped up and chipped the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

Vickerstown showed little in troubling Rob Batty but on the 32nd minute he brought down David Round Jnr. Up stepped Danny Keenan who slotted his spot kick in the bottom right corner sending Batty the wrong way.

On the stroke of halftime it was 4-1. Ash Ball dispossessed the Vickerstown defender from a throw in on the halfway line. He drove into the box and after a couple of 1-2s with McDonald finally slotted the ball home to put Town in a comfortable position.

Town began the second period brightly for the first ten minutes but Vickerstown quickly stopped them in their tracks and surprised Town when Rob Bruce was found in space in the area. He dinked Batty but the ball took an age to role into the back of the net to make it 4-2. Three minutes after the surprise goal Joe Melling was judged to have denied a goal scoring opportunity and was shown a straight red. Keenan stepped up again but his penalty was easy for Batty to save.

After being in control for so long Town had become complacent and the away side began to take advantage of the extra man. A cross on the right was nearly turned into his own goal by Jordan Tucker. Town were under the cosh but still managed to create chances of their own. 20 minutes in the second half a deep Walmsley free kick nearly sailed into the back of the net.

Substitute Curtis Haley was instrumental in Town’s fifth. He received the ball from Sam Nightingale and held up the ball. He drove forward and was fouled in free kick territory. Walmsley's curling free kick cannoned off the frame of the goal and the ball fell nicely to Troy Carsley who tapped into the empty goal. Town’s final goal was pick of the lot - on 90+2 Carsley added his second. Substitute Jordan Bowen floored his marker and drove down Town’s right. Ash Ball, Troy Carsley and Curtis Haley were all bursting their guts to get into the area. Troy Carsley was found and volleyed home in the top corner with his weaker right foot.

Town Team
1 Rob Batty
2 Joe Melling (Red Card)
3 Sam Nightingale
4 Jordan Tucker (Captain) (14 Jordan Bowen)
5 Alex O'Rourke
6 Keiran Walmsley 27
7 Conor Linighan
8 Ryan McKenna
9 Brad Carsley 4/7 (15 Troy Carsley 80/90)
10 Ash Ball 45
11 Jonty McDonald (16 Curtis Haley)

Unused Subs: 12 Lee Ashcroft