Manchester Waconians double celebration
Manchester Waconians had cause for a double celebration in
the North of England League Premier Division at the weekend
with a memorable victory over Cheadle, the defending champions,
a team they had not beaten since 1996. And success was extra
special for the south Manchester side whose nerve-racking
12-11 victory enabled them to break into the title-chasing
top four for the first time this term and have all but ended
the champions' hopes of retaining the league crown they won
so handsomely last season.
"It's going to be almost impossible for us to win the
league after this defeat," admitted Brian Costello, the
Cheadle coach. "It was a very even match but we were
not helped by a controversial time-out call. That call cost
us the game."
At that stage the match was finely poised at 11-11, but Wacs
were awarded the time-out although Cheadle claimed they didn't
have the ball in order to claim it. It allowed Tom Caplin,
the England midfielder, to clinch the victory with only a
minute remaining.
However, it was 52-year-old attacker Jonty Smith who was
the unlikely hero for the Wilmslow Road team. Smith has been
playing for the club's A-team this season, but answered an
injury SOS call at the last minute and netted an important
hat-trick in Wacs spirited fightback, having trailed 5-1 early
in the second quarter.
"Jonty's still an exciting prospect at 52," joked
Phil Greenwood, the Wacs manager. "We know what he is
capable of. It was a strategic move to bring him in and it
worked for us."
A Steve Shanahan hat-trick, against his former club, and
other goals from Caplin (2), Ian Cassidy (2), Kevin Ryan and
Kris Heller secured the win, while Gareth Wilkinson replied
with four goals which unfortunately proved in vain for the
champions.
Thomas Gallagher led the charge for Heaton Mersey, the leaders,
with five goals in their impressive 18-8 win at home to Wilmslow.
Mersey did trail 4-2 but thanks to hat-tricks from James Gallagher
and Matt Beadle - the league's joint leading scorers with
35 goals each - the Oakley Villas side maintained the pace
at the summit.
Alisdair Wallace did the bulk of the damage with five goals
for Mellor, the 2001-2002 league winners, in a 15-4 triumph
against Brooklands Hulmeians. Daniel Hodgson (4), Jon Lowe
(3), Alistair Hodgson, Rob Nicholls and goalkeeper Ben McAllister
added the rest.
James Shuttleworth, the England attacker, top-scored with
five goals for Timperley as they extended their winning run
with a 19-5 drubbing of strugglers Boardman & Eccles.
Results - Saturday 6 December
North of England League - Premier Division:
Manchester Waconians 12, Cheadle 11; Boardman & Eccles
5, Timperley 19; Mellor 15, Brooklands Hulmeians 4; Heaton
Mersey 18, Wilmslow 8. Division 2: Brooklands Hulmeians A
6, Stopfordians 10; Oldham 13, Sheffield Steelers 12; Cheadle
A 8, Manchester Waconians A 5; Norbury 5, Poynton 11; Rochdale
A 5, Nottingham 10. Postponed: Sheffield University v Heaton
Mersey A. Division 3: Manchester Waconians B 15, Cheadle B
1; Timperley A 9, Boardman & Eccles 9; Stockport B 4,
Mellor A 8; Heaton Mersey B 6, Cheadle Hulme 9. Division 4:
Sheffield Steelers A 11, Oldham A 7; Mellor B 7, Brooklands
Hulmeians XA 15; Poynton B 0, Rochdale B 9. Division 5: Stockport
C 5, Heaton Mersey C 15.
Southern Senior Flags - Semi finals: Hampstead
11, Hillcroft 12; Hitchin 3, Purley 19. Intermediate
Flags - First Round: Bath 20, Spencer 7; Croydon
0, Buckhurst Hill 23. South of England League - Division 2:
Walcountian Blues 23, Walcountian Blues A 0. Division
3: UWIC 12, Southampton University 7; Hitchin A 7,
Bath University 15.
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