Author: Ewan Macleod

A panicking start from Paddock saw the Mersey Valley striker with an early chance bearing down on goal before a spectacular stop from Martin Flanagan in net keep the game level in the opening moments.

With Paddock slowly building themselves into the game, a speculative effort from Mikey Burke narrowly went wide of the post seconds before Mersey Valley went close again themselves. A quiet beginning to the first half from both sides with neither finding their feet.

However, a delicate through ball over the top from the opposition saw their striker played through who placed the ball past Flanagan into the back of the Paddock net to give them the lead by a goal to nil. From the goal, Mersey Valley began to find some rhythm with several chances in a short period of time, all smothered well by Paddock’s no. 1.

With just over half of an hour played Paddock find themselves two down after an in swinging free kick bypassed the entire Stretford Paddock defence to find the Valley player who powerfully headed home past a helpless Flanagan, to the serious disappointment of Paddock after an even opening period. After two in quick succession for Mersey Valley, the first half came to a sombre end leaving Paddock with a mountain to climb if they wanted to get anything out of this game.

Half Time: Stretford Paddock 0-2 Mersey Valley

The second half began with neither side taking a foothold on the game, similarly to that of the first half, despite the score line suggesting a more one-sided affair.

Paddock began to find their feet and ease their way back into the game with more clear cut chances despite seriously testing the Mersey Valley goalkeeper, who had a very quiet game up until that point before a ferocious Kieron Molloy strike crashed off the bar.

That would be the last piece of action of the afternoon for Molloy who found himself in trouble after a dangerous challenge saw him see red, leaving Paddock with ten men going into the final 30 minutes still trailing by two.

An uneventful period followed once again with neither side creating anything noteworthy, with the red card really taking the sting out of the match. A Paddock push was not enough to get themselves back in contention with the game petering out.

Defeat for Paddock against a resolute Mersey Valley side after such a positive run of results is a tough one to take, but the boys will take it into their stride and aim to bounce back next time out.

Stretford Paddock faced off against Denton Town Reserves in the first round of the Manchester FA Saturday Amateur Cup and came out victorious in an eight-goal thriller seeing them head through to the next round.

A frantic start from Paddock saw Denton with an early chance at goal from long-range claimed, somewhat uncomfortably from Paddock’s no. 1 Martin Flanagan much to the dismay of the Denton players and staff who believed it had crossed the line.

Just inside the first ten minutes Kieron Molloy was given an excellent chance as Nosa Iyamu found him with a delicate through ball that he took in his stride and calmly slotted home for Paddock to take the lead. Iyamu incredibly claiming at least one assist in each of his last eight games.

After twenty-five minutes had been played, Paddock remained on top, and a Denton mistake gave them an opportunity to cement their lead. Joseph Coleman picked up on the loose ball and played through Jainiero Salmon-Harris who placed the ball effortlessly beyond the helpless Denton keeper to put Paddock two goals to the good.

A defensive error quickly after Paddock’s second saw Edward Fulwood bring down the Denton forward with the referee awarding a penalty. Flanagan came close but the power of the penalty saw it slip through his hands to bring Paddock’s lead to one again.

Paddock’s hectic first half action continued as a smooth piece of play between Nosa, Joao De Andrade and Jaineiro saw the latter slot home into an empty net for his second of the game extending Paddock’s lead once again. Only moments later a Mikey Burke ball over the top found the lightning quick Joao who was cynically brought down by the Denton defender, with the referee awarding the second penalty of the game. The finishing result the same as the last with Joao De Andrade smashing home despite the Denton goalkeeper getting a touch putting Paddock up by four goals to one and comfortably in the driving seat.

Half Time: Denton Town Reserves 1-4 Stretford Paddock FC

A quieter start to the second half saw both sides with minimal attempts to try and break the deadlock. With Paddock still comfortably in the lead this was not an opening they were disappointed with as they remained calm and professional to swat out any potential threats from Denton.

With just over 70 minutes played neither side were able to find the back of the net in the second half with the game slowly petering out with no real pressure from either side. Until a Denton corner found their midfielder who rose highest and headed home past Flanagan who was rooted to the spot. Denton found themselves within two of Paddock completely against the run of play and to the serial disappointment of the Paddock players and staff who felt, despite Paddock’s underwhelming display, it was an undeserved goal.

Paddock restored their three-goal lead when Fulwood found substitute Vic Iyumva bearing down on goal as he tapped past the rushing keeper for Joao De Andrade to grab his second, Paddock’s fifth, from a yard out to close out any fear of a possible Paddock capitulation.

Moments from the end of the game another Denton defensive error was capitalised on by De Andrade who was scythed down inside the penalty area. Unselfishly, the penalty was given to Jaineiro who placed into the bottom corner to claim his hat trick and a fifth goal in the last two games despite never scoring beforehand.

A confident attacking performance, which was never really in any doubt, from Paddock sees them progress into the next round of the cup hoping to build confidence to earn themselves some much wanted silverware at the end of the season.

Positive Point for Paddock

A positive performance from Stretford Paddock earns them a point against a high-flying Upton with many close opportunities allowing Paddock to push on after a series of disappointing results.

A positive start from Paddock in the very early stages of the game saw Ryan Katumba test the keeper from long range with a ferocious strike that he was unable to keep a hold of but no one was their to capitalise. An interesting decision from the referee saw Omar Sinclair sin binned very early into the game to the dismay of the Paddock bench, for an incident before an Upton corner kick. The resulting corner led to an incredible reflex save from Martin Flanagan in goal.

More chances for Paddock followed despite the disadvantage in numbers as De Andrade burst through on goal and forced a good save out of the goalkeeper. A great run from Ronaldo Brown saw Ryan Katumba have another shot on goal, which was sliced wide of the post, but a positive piece of play just before Sinclair was allowed back after his sin bin had been completed. A great strike from the Upton midfielder almost caught out Flanagan as it whistled past the post and with moments later heroic defending from Burke stopped a great chance for the visiting side to take the lead.

Several tame chances followed for both teams, but a MacFarlane header whistled past the post after a flick on from an Omar Sinclair long throw in, which proved to be Paddock’s best opportunity to take the lead in a very evenly contested first half. A brilliant opportunity for Upton presented itself to their forward who rounded Flanagan after a defence splitting through ball, before missing an empty net much to the relief of the entire Paddock side. Just before the end of the first half another long-range strike from Upton ferociously struck the bar with Flanagan rooted to the spot.

An even first half with both teams having equal opportunities saw Paddock go into the break feeling confident after a positive opening 45 minutes.

Half Time: Stretford Paddock 0-0 Upton JFC

Both teams began the second half with good passages of play with the best chance coming through an Upton one-on-one which was well saved by Martin Flanagan in the Paddock net.  A few half-hearted opportunities for both teams followed with no goalkeeper being really tested within a tight affair. More chances for the opposition followed but with Flanagan always on top it allowed for Paddock to remain in the game with the score still level heading into the final 20 minutes.

With just over ten minutes remaining, Paddock had the best chance of the game after a spectacular cross from Burke found Ryan Katumba only a few yards out which was leathered into the crossbar following on from a period of positive play from Paddock. A few late chances arose but none caused any real trouble to either defence as the game fizzled out after a period of relentless Paddock pressure. A somewhat uneventful and cagey second half without many clear cut chances saw man of the match awarded to Martin Flanagan after saving Paddock on a few occasions and an all round dominant performance.

An agonisingly close opportunity for Stretford Paddock to capitalise against the top of the table was squandered but a performance to be proud of was the case as the game ended a stalemate.

Full Time: Stretford Paddock 0-0 Upton JFC

Stretford Paddock XI: Martin Flanagan, Richard Adjei, Michael Burke, James Oatt (C), Thomas Macfarlane, Zacharias Bell, Joao De Andrade, Omar Sinclair, Ryan Katumba, Nosa Iyamu, Ronaldo Brown

Subs: Paulo Dos Santos, Nasser Shakoor, William Hobson, Dean Makunike, Kayode Adewale

By

Ewan Macleod