LATE FREEKICK SECURES PADDOCK VICTORY

A late Omar freekick secures all three points for Stretford Paddock in a close fought game against St Helens Town in Openshaw.

After a disappointing defeat in their last match to Pilkington U23s. Paddock were looking to bounce back but a last-minute cancellation of their last game saw the side gain an extra week’s preparation as they enter an important string of home games.

Stretford Paddock lined up with an unchanged eleven from the side that featured in the defeat to Pilkington U23s with Katumba, Brown and De Andrade leading the line for the hosts.

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The opening 3 minutes of the game were tight, but the first chance would fall to the visitors as a corner is fizzed to the edge of the box, but the shot was blocked and is caught by mason in goal.

Paddock first break would come in the 13th minute as Ronaldo played through Katumba, but the strikers cross into the box could only find the St Helens defender.

Paddock would continue to get chances as a header is sent over the bar after a Mikey freekick.

The remainder of the half would be even with both teams lacking that final pass, but the last shot would fall to Katumba who’s effort is blocked by the defender.

Half Time: Stretford Paddock 0-0 St Helens Town

Janeiro replaced Coleman just as the second half began in a midfield shake up as the hosts tried to show a bit more fight this half.

The opening exchange of the second half was tight but neither side really creating anything.

As we just passed the hour mark minute Kayode and Dom came on replacing Nosa and Zac as the gaffer was desperately trying to push for a winner

The first chance would also come after the hour mark with St Helens breaking down the flank, but a chipped effort could only go over the bar.

Katumba would have Paddock first chance of the half after an interception by Oates after some great pressing eventually finds its way to the striker, but his effort is brilliantly saved by the keeper.

Paddock continues to create big chances just before we enter the final 20 as Joao low driven shot is saved by the keeper as well.

The trend would continue as Katumba shot is again saved by the keeper as we enter the final 15 minutes.

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The Deadlock is finally broken just before we enter the final 10 minutes as Omar dinks home a beauty of a freekick to give paddock the lead late on.

St Helens looked to instantly respond as a low cross is cleaned up by the defence resulting in a corner but that could only be sent out of play by the visitors.

As we entered the final five Joao was replaced by Mbala as Paddock tried to search for a second to kill the game off and secure the points.

St Helens would begin to start pressuring the Paddock defence with a flurry of crosses into the box, but no one could get on the end of them.

The chances would continue to fall to the visitors as a a shot from outside the box goes just wider after a bit of chaos in the box

In the 90th Ronny was replaced by Daryl to close the game out after an excellent outing for the winger.

Full Time Stretford Paddock 1-0 St Helens Town

This result pushes Paddock back up to 4th level on games with Pilkington U23s but remaining 4 points behind in their promotion push whilst still having a game in hand on 2nd place Winsford to try and slash their seven-point advantage.

 

 

WRITTEN BY JAMES RICHARDSON

Stretford Paddock Falls 2-1 to Pilkington U23s at Ruskin Drive

Paddock coming off the back of a 3-1 away win at promotion chasing Winsford Town as they looked to kick on after a disappointing cup defeat at the end of February.

Paddock played a mostly unchanged side with Michael Olatunji replacing Eddie at CB.

The opening minutes of the game were all Pilkington applying early pressure with a shot straight at the keeper in the opening 2 minutes.

Paddock began to finally start playing after ten minutes with Ryan Katumba weak shot rolled straight through to their keeper.

But the early pressure would pay off with Pilkington U23s number 12 flicking the ball over the defender and smashing it into the bottom corner giving Taylor in goal no chance and giving the hosts a deserved lead.

But Paddock resurgence would only last a little bit with a wayward cross smacking the bar and 2 more shots just before the end of the half going just wide.

Half Time: Pilkington U23s 1-0 Stretford Paddock

Paddock would come out for the second half the same way Pilkington came out for the first with some nice early pressure sadly not turning into a needed equaliser.

But the wait for the equaliser would only last 2 minutes as Ryan Katumba would head in Mikey Burke free kick to level the tie 3 minutes after the restart.

Paddock would continue to build after the equaliser as Ronaldo excellent wing play would allow him to cut it back to Joao who can only send the shot over the bar.

Pilkington U23s would have to wait until after the hour mark for any chance on the Streford goal with a powerful free kick stinging the hands of Taylor as he ended up spilling the ball into the path of the Pilkington striker and allowing the hosts to regain their lead.

Only a few minutes later Paddock would begin to push for an equaliser as Joao shot would be saved by the Pilkington keeper after intricate play by Paddock on the edge of the box.

It would take almost 20 minutes for Paddock to have another crack at the goal after nice passing sees the resulting shot fly over the bar from the edge of the box.

Paddock continues to apply pressure and that was amplified as Mbala came on for Burke to add an extra attacking threat as we entered the closing stages.

The extra threat would show to be effective as Ronaldo brown would drag a shot just wide after successfully regaining the ball from Pilkington just outside their box.

The result could’ve been worse for Paddock in the final few seconds as a flick on saw Pilkington go through on goal, but the resulting shot would end up closer to the corner flag than the Paddock goal.

Full Time: Pilkington U23s 2-1 Stretford Paddock

 

WRITTEN BY JAMES RICHARDSON

Cheshire League Round Up

Football Fanatics, Gather Round!

Another whirlwind of a weekend has just passed in the league, and as always, it was a rollercoaster of emotions.

Our table-toppers, Pilkington U23s, kept their unbeaten run intact, but it was no easy feat against a resilient Mersey Valley side. They nicked a 3-2 victory in what was sounds like the match of the weekend.

Lymm Rovers and Newton-Le-Willows kept their recent momentum going with clean-sheet victories. While Lymm comfortably saw off Haydock FC, Newton made light work of Maine Road Res.

Stretford Paddock FC continues to progress, maintaining our undefeated run with a hard-fought win against Moore United FC. Believe those sorts of wins are called “Championship form”.

However, the show-stopper this weekend was St Helens Town with a jaw-dropping 7-goal demolition of Wigan Town FC.

Finally, Winsford Town FC pulled off a crucial win against West Didsbury & Chorlton Res., adding three more points to their tally.

Looking Ahead:

Midweek sees West Didsbury & Chorlton Res. clashing with a buoyant St Helens Town side – expect fireworks!

The coming weekend is jam-packed with mouth-watering fixtures. Haydock FC will be keen to bounce back against Sandbach Town Ramblers. Stretford Paddock FC, still undefeated, travel to Hartford FC, hoping to keep our streak alive.

Will Wigan Town FC find some form against Mersey Valley? Can Moore United cause an upset against Winsford Town FC? Only time will tell!

 

Matchday Preview

League Round-Up: A Week of Shockers and Show-Stealers

Hey everyone, join us as we dissect last weekends weekend’s action and look ahead to tomorrow’s Cheshire League Two fixtures!

Last Week’s Drama

No doubt the biggest jaw-dropper came from the Pilkington U23s who put a double-digit past the Maine Road Res. – proper statement that, isn’t it? They’re not just leading but dominating at the summit with their goal difference skyrocketing.

Lymm Rovers FC, meanwhile, pulled a blinder against Clay Brow FC, silencing them with a clean sheet and a trio of goals. They’re a side with momentum now, and who knows how far up the table they can go?

Down but not out, Newton-Le-Willows gave Mersey Valley a lesson in football with a 4-0 victory, turning a few heads and possibly setting the stage for a fairytale rise through the table.

Lastly, we had West Didsbury & Chorlton Res. running riot against Hartford FC, banging in a handsome five goals to none, a result that nudges them further away from the bottom.

Looking Forward to Next Week’s Clashes

Fasten your seat belts because this week is brimming with fixtures that promise plenty of thrills and possibly a spill or two. Here’s the lowdown:

  • Pilkington U23s vs Mersey Valley: The league leaders are eyeing another win, but could Mersey Valley offer up a surprise? Stranger things have happened!
  • Lymm Rovers FC vs Hartford FC: After a spanking last week, can Hartford pull up their socks and give Lymm a run for their money?
  • Newton-Le-Willows vs Maine Road Res.: Fresh off a dominant win, Newton-Le-Willows will be fancying their chances against a wounded Maine Road side.
  • Stretford Paddock FC vs Moore United FC: With Paddock yet to taste defeat this season, and Moore United have only just started finding their feet with a couple of wins; can they upset the apple cart here?
  • Wigan Town FC vs St Helens Town: Wigan’s got it all to do against a St Helen’s side eyeing those upper slots in the league standings.
  • Winsford Town FC vs West Didsbury & Chorlton Res.: A pivotal game for both sides, with the opportunity to solidify or even improve their positions with a win.

So, there you have it, a sneak peek at the action waiting to unfold. Get the teas in, find a comfy spot, and get ready for another belter of a weekend in the league. Elsewhere we’ve been given our first cup fixture. The first team are disappointed to not be featuring in the Manchester Challenge Trophy, as we did last season, but a change to the leagues which make up qualification has found us seeded in the Manchester Amateur Cup, instead. Last season’s first game saw us put five-goals past Denton Town, and this season we’ve been drawn against Denton Town’s RESERVES – strange decision for us to be in this competition, but one we will endeavour to win!

Come and join us for tomorrow’s fixture against Moore United, at the Butchers Arms!

 

 

Match Preview: Stretford Paddock VS West Didsbury & Chorlton Reserves

The end of the season is almost here. All that remains for Stretford Paddock in what can only be described as a ‘mixed’ first season in the Cheshire League is a home fixture against West Disbury & Chorlton Reserves. Despite Paddock no longer fighting for promotion, any kind of result tomorrow would ensure that the YouTube side’s first season in the Cheshire League ends with a top half finish.

 

Situational Preview

Stretford Paddock currently sit 8th in Division 2 of the Cheshire League, level on points with Haydock who have a superior goal difference. Haydock, however, have played all 26 of their games this season meaning that a draw or win for Paddock would guarantee them a top half finish.

It’s tough for Paddock to see a 7th place finish as a success down to the fact the club were at one point just a handful of points away from the top 3. Despite this however, when considering the large amount of injuries and the permanent loss of some key players – 7th is respectful.

West Didsbury & Chorlton are currently in 10th place in Division 2 but have 2 games remaining. They need to win both to make sure they finish 9th however, depending on results elsewhere, they might only need one win.

When the two sides faced each other 8 months ago, Paddock were 3-0 victors in what was their first victory of the season. It would also be the first win of their 7 win streak in the Cheshire League.

 

Opponent Watch

West Didsbury & Chorlton Reserves are currently in 10th place in the Cheshire League division 2. They have played 23 games, winning 8, drawing 7 and losing 8. They have scored 42 goals and conceded 33.

They are a young side with players from a number of academies in Cheshire. The skill level of their players is high.

Their form has been mixed of late, wining 3 and losing 3 of their last 6 games. It will for sure be a tough game for the Paddock boys considering their opponents also have something to play for.

 

Team News

After serving his 1 game suspension against Moore United, Stretford Paddock’s captain, James Oatt, will return to the line up.

One man who has returned to training after a long absence is Paddock midfielder, Dom Molloy. Dom was a key player for Paddock during their impressive unbeaten run however, a number of reasons including multiple injuries has kept him out of the team.

We will have to wait and see wether or not Dom returns to the first team squad for Paddock’s final outing of the 22/23 season.

 

Match Preview: Lymm Rovers VS Stretford Paddock

After there being no game for the lads last week, Stretford Paddock return to action in the Cheshire League with an away trip out to Lymm. Last weekend, opponents, Pilkington U23’s, failed to field a side which resulted in the postponement of the fixture. Still looking for an away victory this year, perhaps some fresh legs will aid Paddock in really kickstarting their end of season run in.

Situational Preview

Paddock currently sit in 8th place in Division 2, one place into the bottom half of the table. Haydock, who sit currently in 7th position, are 6 points ahead of Stretford Paddock having played 2 more games. It is this weekend’s opponents, Lymm Rovers, who are a place behind Paddock. The gap between Lymm and Paddock is also 6 points. It means that whatever happens this weekend, Paddock will remain in 8th place.

Lymm are in a similar situation to Paddock in the sense that whatever the outcome of the fixture on Saturday, they will remain in 9th place.

For Paddock, a top half finish is still well within the realm of possibility. Should Paddock win their 2 games in hand, they would go level on points with Haydock leaving an exciting end to the season.

Head to Head

Stretford Paddock were 6-1 victors in their outing with Lymm Rovers back in February. The game is mostly remembered for 2 debut goals for Paddock’s new main man up top, Ryan Katumba.

February’s result will stead Paddock into the game this weekend with plenty of confidence however, Paddock have only won once since that game. It’ll therefore be, no doubt, a tough game for Ste’s men.

Another man who will make things difficult for Paddock this weekend is Lymm Rovers forward, Rory Ridley-Thomas. Ridley-Thomas is the Division’s joint 9th top scorer this season with 13 goals to his name.

Elliot Watkins is another danger within the Lymm Rovers ranks – he has 10 goals to his name this season.

Team News

Due to the carry over of his suspension from two weeks ago, Paddock captain, James Oatt, is unavailable for tomorrows game.

His second yellow card in stoppage time against F.C. St Helens resulted in Oatsy picking up a one match ban. The ban was supposed to take place last weekend against Pilkington U23’s however, because the fixture will be rearranged, his ban must take place this weekend.

Match Preview: Pilkington U23s VS Stretford Paddock

After another loss on the road, an opportunity has risen this weekend for Paddock to get their away form back on track going into the seasons final stretch. Paddock’s last 4 away results have all been losses however, this weekend they face a Pilkington side who find themselves in a relegation battle. With the added motivation of putting right a 2-0 loss to Pilkington earlier this season, this might well be the perfect opportunity for Ste’s men to kickstart a strong finish to a very mixed season.

Opponent Watch

Pilkington U23s currently sit in 12th place in the Cheshire League Division 2. They sit 2 points ahead of Mersey Valley who are in 13th however, Mersey Valley have played two games less. With the bottom two teams getting relegated (13th and 14th), it’s vital for Pilkington that they get as many points as possible from their remaining two games. Survival is not in their hands.

Pilkington’s form of late has certainly been that of a side in a relegation battle. They have not obtained a single point since February where they were involved in a thrilling 3-3 draw away to F.C. St Helens. Their last win was way back in January against non other than, Stretford Paddock.

Pilkington have struggled for goals this season, with their top scorer Dylan Ross, only netting 3 so far this season. Ross also has 3 assists.

Situational Preview

Recent form has meant Paddock have now slipped into the bottom half of the table. When considering the side were pushing from promotion before Christmas, it’s certainly a tough pill to swallow thinking about where the side are at currently. Injuries, suspensions and players leaving the club however, has made things very difficult for the YouTube side.

Despite this, a top half finish is very much still on the cards – Moore United are only a point ahead of Paddock. For that to happen though, Paddock need to register a win, something they’ve not done since last month. But as previously stated, they face a side tomorrow who are in a very bad place – this is a great opportunity for Stretford Paddock.

Paddock will also be looking to get revenge after a disappointing defeat against Pilkington back in January. Tomorrow’s hosts shocked Paddock with a 2-0 victory. It was especially shocking since Paddock were in mighty form – they had won 9 of their last 11 league games at the time.

Team News

Tomorrow, Stretford Paddock will be without their captain, James Oatt. Suspension is what will keep ‘Oatsy’ sidelined after he picked up a second yellow card in the dying seconds last weekend. Paddock were 2-0 down and their opponents, St Helens, were running the clock down in the corner. A moment of frustration got the better of Oatsy and rash tackle on the man in possession made him see red.

James Oatt will be out of tomorrow’s game but back next weekend when Paddock take on Lymm Rovers. With the squad already being depleted, who will be partnering Thomas MacFarlane at Centre Half still remains a question.

Match Preview: F.C. St Helens VS Stretford Paddock

Stretford Paddock have 5 league fixtures remaining this season, with the first 4 of which being away from home. Before they finish their season at home against West Didsbury and Chorlton Reserves next month, Paddock must travel to St Helens, Pilkington, Lymm and Moore. Away game number one is tomorrow and it is not going to be an easy one as Paddock face 2nd place F.C St. Helens Reserves.

Opponent Watch

F.C. St. Helens currently sit in 2nd place in the league but promotion for them is by no means done and dusted. Despite being 2 points clear of Bollington Town in 3rd, Bollington have played 2 games less. St Helens have a similar problem with St Michaels DH who, despite being 4 points behind St Helens, have played 3 games less.

It is vital for St Helens therefore that they take all 3 points against Paddock before their huge final game of the season against Bollington Town. Should F.C. St Helens win their 2 remaining games (including that big game against Bollington), and Bollington don’t pick up another 9 points in their remaining 4 games, promotion would be theirs.

Their main man in attack is Thomas Scarborough. With 11 goals in 7 appearances, Paddock will have to be on their toes should Scarborough be in tomorrows squad.

Head to Head

What sits between St Helens and Paddock is 13 points and 6 league positions.

Paddock have 10 wins this season in contrast to F.C. St. Helens’ 14.

Paddock have drawn 3 games, whilst St Helens have drawn 4.

Paddock have 8 losses to their name however, in comparison to F.C. St. Helens’ 6.

The home side also have a significantly better goal difference to Paddock’s (22 to Paddock’s 1).

What is interesting however, and something which will give Ste and his men confidence, is that one of St. Helens’ losses this season was against Stretford Paddock.

Back in November, goals from Tom Jones, Omar Sinclair and Kieron Molloy saw Paddock comfortably beat St Helens 3 goals to 1 at the Manchester Enterprise Academy. Since then, Kieron Molloy has left the club and Paddock have been struggling to score as a result.

Signings such as Ryan Katumba have certainly helped contribute some of those missing goals from Molloy however, Molloy has been a big miss for the YouTube side.

A win for Stretford Paddock could see them move back into 7th spot should Moore United drop points against Ashton Town Reserves. Ashton do sit bottom however, meaning that this is unlikely.

Team News

Manager, Stephen Howson, is faced with a dilemma ahead of tomorrows match in regards to the number 9 position. After a lengthy spell out, striker Tom Jones is back available for selection.

This makes life difficult for manager Stephen Howson who now has striker, Ryan Katumba in his ranks also.

Jones has registered 10 goals in 15 appearances for Paddock this season with Ryan Katumba scoring 4 in 7 since joining the club mid season.

Katumba offers much more of a physical presence whilst Jones is more quick and nimble. Jones has experience finding the net against St Helens yet Katumba is game ready – he scored only last weekend!

Nevertheless, this is a good predicament for Ste to have considering Paddock have faced plenty of injury crises, especially in the attacking and midfield areas.

 

Match Preview: Stretford Paddock VS Moore United

Match Preview: St Michaels DH VS Stretford Paddock

After a thrilling 3-2 victory against Ashton Town Reserves last weekend, Stretford Paddock finally are back to winning ways. An opportunity arises this weekend to build on their recent victory whilst facing St Michaels DH – a side who, like Paddock, still have a real chance of achieving promotion this season.

Opponent Watch

St Michaels DH currently sit just 5 points off of the promotion spots but with an attractive 4 games in hand on their closest rivals, Bollington Town. A win against Paddock on Saturday would not only make them favourites to achieve promotion, but would also see them achieving back to back wins in the Cheshire League.

As Paddock know well, momentum is key and both sides this weekend are desperate for momentum to end their seasons in the most positive manner possible.

St Michaels have two men on double figures this season. Forwards Paul Derbyshire and Dominic Brereton have 15 and 12 goals respectively. Derbyshire is currently the division’s 3rd top goalscorer. Having conceded 2 goals last weekend against much lesser opponents, Paddock are going to have to up their game even further to deal with the home side’s attacking prowess and get a result on Saturday.

Situational Preview

Paddock now sit 9 points away from 3rd spot in the Division – they also still have plenty of games in hand on opponents that sit higher than them in the table. Having won only 2 games in the league since the turn of the year, promotion for Paddock this season does look less likely than more however, never say never.

4 of Paddock’s remaining 7 league games are against teams lower than them in the table. What Paddock must do though is take each game as it comes rather than focus on the bigger picture.

A win for Stretford Paddock would put them only a point behind St Michaels in the table (despite having played 2 more games). It just goes to show how tight things are at the top and how quickly things can change.

Should Newton-Le-Willows fail to win and Paddock collect all three points, they would move up into 6th place – a huge psychological boost for the side. This gives Ste and the boys even more motivation to put right their 5-0 hammering which they recieved from St Michaels earlier this season.

Team News

Though not yet confirmed, it seems likely that Paddock’s new man in goal, Martin Flanagan, will be unavailable again this weekend due to injury. A vital last minute save from Vic Gimenez last weekend would surely give Paddock’s shot stopping expert a spot in the starting line up.

 

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