11.2.23 – Non League Match Reports
Written by Hitmix Local News on 12 February 2023
11.2.23 – Non League Match Reports
By Dave Johnson
Old Wulfurnians 0-1 Congleton Town – FA Vase Fifth Round
Congleton saw their Wembley dreams come just that little bit closer as they ensured a place in the quarter-final of the FA Vase, despite playing the whole of the second half with ten men.
Congleton managed to get their noses in front midway through the first half. Following a long throw from Ethan Hartshorn, Jamie Meddows headed the ball over his own ‘keeper and Danny Needham was on hand to fire into an empty net.
The Bears were dealt a blow in the 44th minute when player-boss Richard Duffy was shown a straight red card, reducing the visitors to ten men and giving them plenty to think about at half time.
Understandably, with Congleton down to ten men, the home side began the second half on the front foot, but the visitors were not in the mood to give anything away and overall deserve their place in the hat for the quarter-final draw.
Runcorn Linnets 3-1 Newcastle Town
There were few first half chances created but right on half time the game burst into life with two goals in the space of two minutes.
It was Castle who struck first in the 44th minute when Nathan Morley put them in front, but within a minute Lewis Doyle put the home side back on level terms.
Five minutes into the second half, Ryan Brooke, scorer of the Linnets’ second goal when the two sides met back in October, found the net again to put the home side ahead.
Any hopes Newcastle had of getting back into the game were put firmly to bed with seven minutes remaining when Ollie McFayden grabbed Runcorn’s third goal.
Kidsgrove Athletic 0-1 Trafford
Kidsgrove’s hopes for a push for a play-off place were dealt a severe blow when visitors Trafford took the points to increase their own hopes of avoiding the drop.
It was another disappointing afternoon for the Grove, who before the game still harboured hopes of achieving a play-off place come the end of the season.
Those hopes are fading fast with a fifth defeat in six games and now they will be looking down at the sides below them in the table, rather than up above.
In the 74th minute of the game Max Hazeldine netted the game’s only goal and despite a late siege on the Trafford goal, it was enough to secure maximum points for the visitors.
City of Liverpool 1-0 Hanley Town
After an improvement in form in recent weeks, when a run of one defeat in seven games had given Hanley some hope, they were beaten 1-0 by a City of Liverpool side who completed the double over the visitors.
Their quest to move away from the foot of the table, was dealt a blow when the home side took the lead at The Berry Street Garage Stadium.
Jack Hazelhurst was the man who did the damage with 30 minutes of the game played and despite their efforts they never recovered.
Hanley now find themselves precariously close to the foot of the table and any doubts they were in a relegation fight have now been firmly put to bed.
Prescot Cables 1-4 Leek Town
Seemingly determined to take full advantage of leaders Macclesfield’s blank weekend, Leek stormed into a 3-0 lead by midway through the first half – they clearly meant business.
Billy Reeves fired Leek ahead from the penalty spot on 15 minutes, before Marc Grocott added a second in the 22nd minute and Daniel Tricket-Smith netted their third a minute later.
Kyle Sambor reduced the arrears in the 24th minute but Aaron Opoku restored Leek’s three-goal advantage in the 37th minute to give the visitors a commanding lead going into the break.
There were no further goals in the second half, but Hanley will certainly be the happier of the two sides as they returned home with three points after a convincing first half display.
Guisley 4-0 Stafford Rangers
Another disaster as far as Stafford are concerned with a heavy defeat at Guisley highlighting the position they find themselves in, hovering too close to the drop zone for comfort.
All looked well for Rangers as they went in level at half time, but early in the second half that was all to change when the home side hit two goals in the space of eight minutes.
Lewis Whitham got the home side’s first in the 56th minute then Courtney Meppen-Walters doubled their lead from the penalty spot to give Guisley some breathing space.
The game was already a lost cause by the time Adam Haw got the third, five minutes from time Jameel Ible scored the fourth, they were already well and truly beaten.
Liversedge 3-3 Nantwich Town
Nantwich Town grabbed a point from the jaws of defeat as they came from behind in the 90th minute of the game against bottom-of-the-table Liversedge.
Given their respective league positions, it was a game both sides could have done with winning, and it was the home side who edged ahead early in the game when Ben Atkinson fired home from the penalty spot.
Ryan Morton levelled in the 13th minute, and when Dan Cockerline put the Dabbers in front on 26 minutes it was all looking rosy for the visitors.
Nathan Cartman and Kurtis Harris both scored to put the home side in the driving seat with just eleven minutes remaining, but James Caton rescued a point for Nantwich right at the death.
