Stretford Paddock’s return to league action after the short break ended in disappointment as they fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against league leaders St. Helens Town at Ruskin Drive Sports Ground. Despite a strong performance and an early lead, Paddock were undone by a second-half goal, leaving them in fourth place with 34 points.
This match was a landmark occasion for Joao de Andrade, who became the first player in Stretford Paddock history to reach 100 appearances for the club. The experienced defender led from the back as Paddock looked to repeat their stunning 4-0 victory over St. Helens in the JA Walton Challenge Cup last month.The game kicked off with Paddock looking sharp, pressing high and creating early opportunities. However, an early scare came in the 9th minute when a mix-up in defence almost gifted St. Helens an open-goal chance, only for their forward to miss the target.
The deadlock was broken in the 34th minute in spectacular fashion. Cameron Watters carried the ball from deep inside his own half before playing it to Damani Hall, who was surrounded by four defenders inside the box. Despite calls to pass, Hall took matters into his own hands and rifled the ball into the bottom left corner, sending the Paddock faithful into wild celebrations. Just as it seemed Paddock would take their lead into the break, disaster struck in stoppage time. A long ball forward from St. Helens was met by Ryan Cook, and in a moment of misfortune, Cameron Watters’ attempted clearance deflected past goalkeeper Florin Salceanu for an own goal. The first half ended 1-1, a frustrating way to close out an otherwise strong 45 minutes.
Paddock started the second half with intensity, making an early change as Eddie Fulwood replaced Dion Kemp in midfield. The men in red had a golden opportunity in the 51st minute when Joao de Andrade found himself in a perfect position inside the box but couldn’t keep his shot on target. St. Helens thought they had taken the lead in the 55th minute when a misplaced pass from Kayode Adewale led to a goal, but the linesman’s flag came to Paddock’s rescue as it was ruled offside.
However, the league leaders wouldn’t be denied for long. In the 66th minute, a perfectly delivered corner was met by Jake Sant, whose header found the back of the net to put St. Helens in front for the first time. Paddock didn’t go down without a fight, pushing forward in search of an equalizer. Cameron Watters came close in the 81st minute with a powerful strike that forced an excellent save from the St. Helens goalkeeper. The game also saw a historic moment as Brian Sofola became the first Irish player to represent Stretford Paddock, making his debut on St. Patrick’s weekend. A proud moment for both him and the club, despite the disappointing result. Despite a valiant effort, Paddock couldn’t find a way back into the game as St. Helens held on for the 2-1 win. The result sees Paddock slip to fourth place with 34 points, but they remain firmly in the race for promotion.
Next up is another crucial clash against Mersey Valley, where Paddock will be determined to bounce back and reignite their push for the top two. With the team showing resilience and quality throughout the match, there’s every reason to believe they will come back stronger.
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