Paddock Round Up – Stretford Paddock Football Club

With the first team out of action for the second weekend running, the focus turns to how the reserves, development team and the U21’s faired in their respective games.

The reserves came out on top in their weekend game and were able to gain a crucial 3 points against an organised and well coached Eccles team, sending the reserves to 2nd in the league. Two goals from striker Azan clinched all 3 points in a close game. The reserves did show character, grit and fight to grind out a result which was especially impressive due to the conditions of the game and the surface they had to play on. Now 2nd in the league 6 points behind 1st place with a game in hand anything could happen as Nairobi has made it abundantly clear that the reserves want to develop a winning mentality and are in for silverware.

As for the development team, Paddock visited Greater Manchester firsts at the weekend and left with a well deserved 4-0 win. The matched started very tight with both teams trying to play their football. Paddock could of been clear within the first 20 minutes as Lewis Bennett missed multiple opportunities but the breakthrough came after 27minutes with the in form Immanuel Akinwale scoring his 2nd in as many games. The goal settled Paddock down and they began to play their football. The midfield of Mark Dempsey, Man of the Match Brighton Ferguson, Jamie Iggy and Charles Frapwell were dominant in everything they did, they controlled the game on both sides of the ball. Lewis Bennett finally got his well deserved goal after another brilliant move by Paddock who are really starting to implement a style of play into their game.

Paddock went up another gear in the 2nd half restricting Greater Manchester to pot shots from the edge of the area. Abdullah Saeed then went on to bag a superb brace in the 2nd half again showing why he maybe the best striker in the league. Paddock showed massive improvement and character after last weeks unfortunate come back, They showed maturity, saw out the game and managed to walk out with all 3 points.

Moving on to the U21’s who travelled to Chester to face the UDA Royals, who currently sit 5th in the league.

The game started with both teams attacking well and showing desire to get forward and open the scoring. However through mistakes made by paddock, UDA take the lead with paddock giving a penalty away and losing the ball in their own half. Meaning the games heads into half time with UDA leading 2-0.

In the second half the U21’s came out with the desire and fight to get back into the game. Abdo, Ieuan and JP and Acer held a very solid midfield winning every 50/50 stopping UDA’s attacks, with that constant pressure it allowed Aftab and Aiden to get shots off and test there GK, however the goal didn’t actually come until 82nd minute where Perfection picked the ball up on the 18 yard box, spots Lion who then makes a great diagonal run across him into the box which drags the defenders away, creates the space for Perfection to drive and score 1v1 against the keeper. This lead to an emphatic and exciting last 10minutes of the game as Paddock continued to pile on the pressure and push for an equaliser, however there efforts were unfortunately unrewarded as UDA managed to hang on to the one goal lead and end the game with a 2-1 victory.