Unlucky Blues out in thriller

Sep 24 2008 by John Buckley, Mid Cheshire Chronicle

Hallam 3 Winsford United 2

BLUES bowed out of the FA Vase on Saturday but victory would have been fairer.

At the very least they deserved a second chance in their preliminary round tie, which was lost by missing a good chance at one end and almost immediately conceding at the other.

Hallam opened with a blitz, winger Richard Carrington dropping crosses into the danger zone for his waiting forwards.

United’s defence was on full alert and they would have been two down but for a save by Chris Rowley and a smart clearance by Mike McGraa.

Lee Madin blasted wide a chance created by Phil Mason against the run of play, but Hallam took the lead when Rowley was only able to turn a Carrington shot on to the bar and Rob Ward was presented with a tap-in.

Winsford began to make their presence felt. Mason’s long ranger appeared to have been stopped by a defender’s hand and Tony Sayer’s effort certainly was, though the fist belonged to goalkeeper Martin Taylor.

Mason shook off his marker in 50 minutes to convert a McGraa through ball And they went ahead when John Riley’s shot took a deflection and rolled into the net.

But a similar deflection by Ian Callaghan as he got in the way of Richard Patterson’s shot made it 2-2 and James Tevedale raced away from a tiring United defence to score the winner, within a minute of Mason putting a free header from six yards out wide of the goal.

United: Rowley; Sayer, Owens, Callaghan, Riley; Ennion, Sawtell, McGraa, Kennedy; Mason, Madin.

Attendance: 100

Match Rating: 8/10