Mellor's title-challenge dented by Timperley
World-class players tend to have an uncanny knack of being
able to produce their best form when it matters the most.
And Ryan Garnsworthy, Timperley's Australian international
midfielder, timed his best performance to perfection for the
south Manchester club as they dented Mellor's title-challenge
with a shock 14-12 victory.
Lee Warburton (3), Brett Davey (2), Andy Brickell (2), John
Hammond, Rob Macklin and Billy Beaumont all scored crucial
goals for Timperley, but it was Garnsworthy who led the charge
with four goals and who netted the winner in the dying seconds.
"He [Garnsworthy] was crucial for them," admitted
Ben McAllister, the Mellor captain, whose side failed to fight
back from 7-4 behind at half-time. "He's a good player
and makes them tick. We beat Timperley convincingly earlier
in the season, but Garnsworthy seems to have made a big difference.
They are playing with a lot of confidence." Indeed, but
McAllister was adamant his team's downfall had been because
they had "made too many mistakes" and they also
missed some "key players".
McAllister added: "It's been a long time since we conceded
14 goals. We had a lot of injuries but that's not an excuse,
we were beaten by the better side." Mellor were without
Rob Nicholls, leading scorer Daniel Hodgson, Australian duo
Scott James and Damien Orr, as well as Alistair Hodgson, the
Scotland international midfielder, all through injury.
Heaton Mersey, the 2001-2002 Daily Telegraph Senior Flags
Trophy winners, extended their lead at the top of the table
courtesy of an 11-8 win away to Stockport, their arch-rivals.
Stockport, who lost 14-13 in overtime to Mersey in that Flags
final two year's ago, had Thomas Gosnay (2), Owen Jones (2),
Paul Fullerton, Dave Bryant, Anthony Murphy all on the scoresheet,
while Nick Gilmore scored an unfortunate own-goal. But hat-tricks
from Steve Morley, the experienced attacker, co-captain James
Gallagher, and other goals from Thomas Gallagher (2), Steve
Grace, Dan Heighway and Matt Beadle laid the platform for
Mersey to go three points clear at the summit.
"We were very focused," said Gary Wilson, Mersey's
delighted coach. "We are in a very strong position now;
we just need to keep winning."
Former England international Phil Lynch was on target nine
times for Cheadle, the defending champions, as they ended
their recent run of bad form with a much-needed 16-3 victory
at home to strugglers Boardman & Eccles.
American recruit Ian Cassidy inspired Manchester Waconians
to a comfortable 17-9 win over Rochdale with eight goals,
while fellow countryman Kris Heller added a useful hat-trick.
Men's North of England League - Premier Division:
Cheadle 16, Boardman & Eccles 3; Timperley 14, Mellor
12; Stockport 8, Heaton Mersey 11; Rochdale 9, Manchester
Waconians 17. Division 2: Stopfordians 10, Oldham 10; Sheffield
Steelers 12, Cheadle A 4; Manchester Waconians A 11, Sheffield
University 4; Poynton 13, Rochdale A 2; Nottingham 9, Stockport
A 9. Division 3: Cheadle B 2, Timperley A 20; Mellor A 6,
Ashton-under-Lyne 19; Cheadle Hulme 13, Poynton A 2. Division
4: Leeds University 1, Brooklands Hulmeians Ex A 8; Oldham
A 1, Mellor B 0; Rochdale B 3, Ashton-under-Lyne A 8; Heaton
Mersey Guild 21, Poynton B 1. Division 5: Manchester Waconians
C 1, Wilmslow A 21; Norbury A 17, Stockport C 6. Women’s
North of England Premier League: Stockport 8, Liverpool
7; Sheffield 6, Harrogate 8.
|