After a big win last week, Stretford Paddock returned to the Manchester Enterprise Academy to face title challengers, Bollington Town. A Tom Jones hat-trick, a further goal from Kayode Adewale and a 30-yard screamer from Dom Molloy, was enough to secure Paddock a 5-3 victory to continue their impressive winning run.
Paddock started strong by mounting lots of pressure on the away team through waves of possession. This was the first time Paddock faced Bollington, so with no previous result history, all was to play for. After a dominant 8 minutes for Paddock, Tom Jones put them ahead. After a pass from Janiero Salmon-Harris, Jones did just enough to slot the ball past the Bollington keeper.
Bollington began to apply pressure and scout an opportunity to score an equaliser. Paddock’s adrenaline continued and energy was high after their first goal with defender’s pressuring the opposition when out of possession. A sweetly struck Bollington free kick at 18 minutes flew into the back of the net to level the scores. Paddock were left fighting to regain their lead.
Paddock kept their heads up with Tom Jones responding with a second goal for Paddock one minute later. Some good defending from both sides resulted in a steady rest of the first half. It looked like 2-1 would be the half time score however, just 3 minutes until the break, Jones completed his hat-trick. A foul on Ronaldo Brown just inside the box meant Jones would have the opportunity to complete his hat-trick from the spot – he took his chance it brilliantly.
HT: Stretford Paddock 3-1 Bollington Town
The second half began with Paddock leading and Bollington seeking revenge. Not long after a pause in play due to a head injury on Omar Sinclair, Bollington got their second. A Bollington corner was only cleared as far as their man on the edge of the box. He controlled the ball and hammered it home sweetly in the 51st minute.
Three minutes later a shock equaliser from Bollington put both sides level at 3 goals each. Paddock now had to fight to regain the upper hand after 55 minutes. A scrappy first 15 minutes from both sides proved that everything was to play for. Not long later however, Paddock midfielder, Kayode Adewale put Paddock back in the lead. Some great link up play ended with the ball at the feet of Adewale. He finessed the ball first time from the edge of the box to put Paddock ahead for the second time in the match.
5 minutes later and there was another screamer for Paddock. Dom Molloy smashed the ball from 30 yards away and caught Bollington’s keeper completely off guard. Some breathing room again for Paddock. After two moments of magic, the rest of the half was fairly quiet.
FT: Stretford Paddock 5-3 Bollington Town
Stretford Paddock: Daniel McKenna, Michael Burke, James Oatt (C), Ryan Pickering (76′ Thomas MacFarlane), Omar Sinclair (76′ Alan Kay), Kayode Adewale (GOAL 63′), Nosa Iyamu (61′ Dom Molloy (GOAL 67′)), Jainiero Salmon-Harris, Ronaldo Brown, Kieron Molloy (71′ Aftab Jan), Tom Jones (GOAL 9′, 20′, 41′) (76′ Will Hobson)
By Libby Baker
