After a month in lockdown, non-elite football is back from suspension and fixtures will now be played for the foreseeable future.
Following the government’s announcement last week, Stretford Paddock FC and the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur Football League will resume on Saturday 5th December.
Now the national lockdown has come to an end, Manchester will revert back to Tier 3 restrictions. This means that Stretford Paddock FC will continue to follow all the correct guidelines to ensure that every game is played with safety measures firmly in place.
Our first game back see’s Paddock face Newton away from home on Saturday 5th December at 14:00.
FA announces non-elite football in England to be suspended
Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and tightening restrictions, our current campaign in the Lancashire and Cheshire league has had to be put on hold.
The government has stated that all non-elite competition will be put on hold until at least December 2nd of this year. You will remember earlier this month, we sadly had to vacate the Butcher’s Arms Ground due to restrictions and now this news seems like another bump in the road, but we will work to get past it.
Everyone at the club from the staff to the players has worked hard to get this club to where it is today and we assure the fans that as soon as we are allowed to play again, we will bring the same determination and hopefully a winning style of play back with us.
Until that time, we hope you all stay well and safe during this pandemic and hopefully you’ll hear again from us soon.
Stretford Paddock FC
Paddock come out victorious in hard fought game against Urmston Town Juniors
Stretford Paddock came out victors in their latest fixture in the Lancashire and Cheshire League against Urmston Town Junior. This result put an end to the team’s run of three games without a win and pushes them up to second in the table and level on points with first placed Moston Brook.
Paddock again got off to a rough start again, when a cross by Urmston in the 8th minute was met unchallenged at the far post and was headed in to make it 1-0 to the home side. Paddock went close to equalising soon after, when a goal mouth scramble led to forward Adam Ashton getting a shot off, but it rolled just wide, then Urmston doubled their lead before the 20th minute.
Paddock have been having problems with set piece goals throughout their campaign, and this match was no different as the goal came from a corner which was spilled by Pearce and headed into the net. Stephen Howson’s men had again given themselves a hill to climb.
Throughout the first half Paddock showed their quality on the ball with some tight and precise passing around the Urmston side and this movement led to their first goal on the 36th minute when a lovely turn by midfielder Gabriel Fernando, played Jay Phillips down the line, who’s low ball in was met at the far post by Ashton and he slid it in to make the score 2-1.
Paddock got another goal before half time when defender and vice-captain James Oatt got on the end of a well hit corner and headed it into the back of the net to even the scores. Spectators on the day were unsure whether it was an own goal, but after reviewing the footage, James Oatt rightly claimed his first goal for the club.
Soon after the whistle was blown, and Paddock went into half time drawing 2-2.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Paddock pushing for a goal to go ahead consistantly. The break came in the 58th minute when Okera Simmonds was brought down after breaking through clean on goal and a penalty was awarded. Jay Phillips stepped up to take the spot kick and smashed it home to put Paddock ahead and add to his tally for the season.
Paddock forwards, Simmonds and Ronaldo Brown were a constant nuisance for the oppositions defence, with the latter being unlucky not to get on the score sheet after beating the Urmston defenders time and time again.
But for Simmonds, his opportunity came in the 65th minute when he did well to get past the Urmston centre back and smashed it past the keeper to make it 4-2.
Urmston managed to get a consolation goal, with a stunning late strike from outside the box, making it 4-3, but it was too late for the opposition to mount a comeback and when the final whistle blew, Paddock were the victors.
Manager Stephen Howson said: “Going 2-0 down was not the sort of response I was hoping for and it’s funny because we win but it’s not funny because theres something about why we can’t score goals first.
“I don’t know if teams are getting up for playing us, they’re treating this like a cup final and they’re blasting and emptying themselves out in the first 15-20 minutes.
“I think today was a clear example of something I thought for a long time which is I think we’re fitter than a lot of teams, and I think we can blow a team out and I think we can blow a team out and that’s what we have to start doing. We have to start at a ridiculous tempo and that tempo has to be too much for teams to handle and we have to drag them into the deep water and we have to drown them. And if we do that we can put games to bed early.”
We are currently unsure of what the incoming COVID-19 restrictions will entail for Paddocks future contests in the league, so make sure to stay tuned on our social media channels for any updates.
Stretford Paddock are hitting the road again for their next fixture against Urmston Town Juniors this Halloween and Stephen Howson’s men will be hoping to get a win against the current 10th placed side.
Paddock will be looking to end their three-game streak without picking up three points, where they have lost twice and drawn once, leaving them in 4th place and three points off the top spot.
In the last game, Paddock fell to defeat late on against Moston Brook after coming back from two goals down. Strikes from Nosa Iyamu and Reza Ul-Haque allowed got their team back into the game after two goals either side of half time for Moston had put them ahead. However, any chances of Paddock getting all three points were snuffed out when Moston met a cross unmarked on the back post and headed it home. The game ended 3-2 to the away side.
Urmston Town Juniors will be looking to pick up their second points haul of the season, as they are sat in 10th having only won only one game in four this season and losing the other three. There last game was against 11th placed side Signol Old Boys and their 3-1 win was their first positive result of the season, having also lost all their other games.
Manager Stephen Howson said: “I’m looking forward to the Urmston game, as I see it as an opportunity to get back to winning ways. 3 games without a win isn’t acceptable. Injuries haven’t helped, but they are no excuse. Every side I put out I believe in, and I know is capable of taking 3 points.
“Injuries are starting to fade, and players starting to come back into the squad. I’m delighted that I’ll be seeing club captain Martin Parker back with the squad this week. His experience has been sorely missed. I doubt it’s a coincidence that we last won, the last game he played. His leadership and organisational skills are in short supply in what is a very young squad, otherwise. We’ve lacked positional discipline and organisation lately, despite good individual performances, there’s been a glaring lack of team cohesion.
“There will be some changes to the XI this week as we try to find the sweet spot balancing defensive sturdiness and the free-flowing attacking, one touch football that we are so good at.”
The match will be played at Lostock Playing Fields in Stretford; fans are discouraged from attending the game due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Stretford Paddock come out second best in top of the table clash against Moston Brook
On a rainy afternoon at Wright Robinson college, Stretford Paddock unfortunately fell to a defeat to Moston Brook in a clash where both teams were able to go top of the table with a win.
It was fortunate that the fixture was able to be played, after COVID-19 restrictions rendered Droylsden unusable, but fortunately Wright Robinson was available, and the game could be played.
There were a few changes from the usual Paddock starting eleven. New signings Gabriel Fernando and Kayode Adewale made their first starts for Paddock, with Nosa Iyamu pushing forward from his usual number 10 position to play up top.
The game started off with Moston on the front foot, pressing forward with waves of attacks which kept the Paddock defence and goalkeeper Kian Pearce very much on their toes. Pearce made a good save from a Moston free kick early on, getting down well to stop a ball that was hit hard and low.
Paddock had a handful of chances on the counter, with Fernando being the creative force going forward. His first found Iyamu with a cutting pass through the Moston’s defence which the goalkeeper and the Moston defender had to put their bodies on the line to stop. The second was again to Iyamu running forward, but this time it was floated over the top by Fernando, however after a good turn by Iyamu, the Moston defender did well to block.
Paddock’s undoing again came from a set piece. Moston won a free kick out wide and the resulting cross was met by the unmarked head of a Moston player, and Paddock were facing another fight back as they went into half time 1-0 down.
Further disaster struck early on in the second half as Moston scored again, following some confusion whether the ball had gone out for a throw in caused Paddock’s players to switch off and Moston took their opportunity well, slotting it into the far side of the set to make it 2-0 to the opposition.
This goal sparked the Paddock side to life. The team began to create more chances, register more shots and then in the 58th minute a long kick by Pearce was headed by to the opposition keeper who lost his grip on the ball and Iyamu who had followed the ball in, was able to latch onto the spillage and make it 2-1.
Seven minutes later another scramble in the box led to substitute Ul-Haque turning and finishing well to make the score 2-2 and put Paddock right back into the game with 25 minutes to go.
Five minutes later more heartbreak came, as despite their best efforts, Moston found a man on the back post free from a good cross and made it 3-2. Paddock tried their best to even the scores again, but saw their best chance well saved by the keeper and were unable to rescue a point come the full-time whistle.
Manager Stephen Howson said: “My initial thoughts were, I thought the players individually played well and there’s not one player I could say had a bad game and we came up against a hard opposition.
“I think every one of my team talks and every one of my interviews after the game I’ve been disappointed and I think it’s strange that the first time I’ve been fairly pleased is when we’ve lost but I think what happened today is we came up against a good opposition.
“I thought Moston were a very good side, a very organised side and they were good for their win and were good for getting their noses in front and that’s why I think I’ve come away from this a little happier than I have when we’ve dropped points the previous two weekends and I think there’s a lot more growing, learning, developing to go, understanding as a team, working as a unit and that’s what we’re trying to do a couple of times a week at training.”
Stretford Paddock FC continues its campaign next week against Urmston Town Juniors again at Wright Robinson College on Saturday 31st October.
Stephen Howson and Stretford Paddock FC play their 6th game of the season against Moston Brook. A win for both sides could see them go top of the table? Who will come out on top?
paddock look to get back to winning ways against moston brook
Stretford Paddock FC will face current joint league leaders Moston Brook on 24th October. Moston are currently are on the same points and goal difference as De La Salle Reds, so any result from the game may see them go top, however with Stretford Paddock also on ten points, a win for either side will obviously be the desired result.
Stretford Paddock unfortunately were unable to win last time out against Hadfield Athletic AFC, drawing 2-2. Hadfield went ahead early on from a well worked free kick routine but Rivaldo Brown managed to bring the scores back level, with his first goal of the season. Rivaldo could have put Paddock in front straight after, but his shot was high.
Hadfield went back in front through a penalty caused by a mistimed Aaron Hopley challenge, and unfortunately the Paddock player was injured as a result and is likely to miss Saturday’s match.
Jay Phillips continued his fine goalscoring form however, slotting home a fine finish after being released by a fantastic pass by Paddock’s new signing Gabriel Fernandes. Paddock created a number of chances throughout the match but again their finishing let them down.
Stephen Howson was unhappy with the result as he was hoping that the team in his words, would ‘fight back’ from their loss last week with a win.
Moston Brook lost their game against North Walkden 1-0 and will be disappointed in that result as it was North Walken’s first points of the season.
Unfortunately, due to the change of Manchester to Tier 3 and current restrictions, Stretford Paddock’s game will not be played at our home ground. The Tameside Council has closed The Butchers Arms Ground to spectators, and have also prevented us from playing the game behind closed doors.
As a result, we will be playing our fixture against Moston Brook at a different location. You can find the address below:
It is with enormous disappointment we have to inform that tomorrow’s fixture against Moston Brook has will not be played at our home ground. Tameside Council has closed The Butchers Arms Ground to spectators, and have also prevented us from playing the game behind closed doors.
Stretford Paddock FC intend to work with the council to ensure a return to football activities at the stadium as soon as possible.
However, after further progressions. Stretford Paddock’s fixture against Moston Brook will go ahead tomorrow. As we will be playing our fixture at a different location. You can find the address below:
