A Win at last

Alsager Town overcame a Barnoldswick Town fightback to record only their second league win of the season at a cold but sunny Wood Park on Saturday afternoon. The Bullets, having lost eight successive North West Counties Premier Division encounters since defeating Runcorn Linnets on 13th October, finally secured their much needed three points with an 88th minute winner from substitute Chris M. Smith after the visitors had clawed back a two goal half-time deficit.
Since taking the helm at the end of October, Alsager manager Scott Dundas has overseen several notable successes in the cup competitions, however his long awaited first league points have finally arrived at the seventh time of asking and will at least give everyone a lift in their efforts to avoid relegation. With 19th placed Squires Gate also winning, the Bullets remain fourteen points adrift of the safety margin, but do still have to play the sea-siders twice, as well as visiting the other relegation contenders in what are sure to be key games in their efforts to avoid the drop.
Alsager gave a debut to new signing Mark McDonald, who was one of eight former Norton United players in the starting eleven, and he took his place in midfield alongside the imposing Nico Koludzyk, who made his first full appearance after impressing from the bench in the Cheshire Senior Cup victory over Barnton.
Ninth placed Barlick have proved to be the surprise package of the season, having only avoided relegation by a solitary point in their previous campaign, and they came into the game on the back of an impressive 2-1 victory over 1874 Northwich.
The Bullets were quickly into their stride and dominated the first-half as they forced the visitors back at every opportunity. Striker Dan Brown was particularly prominent, ably supported by Leigh Skellern and Michael Lennon and it was Brown who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, latching onto a ball over the top and lifting it over onrushing keeper Jordan Gidley into the net. Skellern was denied by Gidley following Brown’s forceful run into the box and with the Lennon’s corners proving problematic to the Barlick rearguard, it was no surprise when his corner from the left was gleefully headed into the visitor’s net by captain Tom Fogg in the 45th minute. Barlick responded by forcing two quick corners, before the referee brought the half to a close.
The Lancashire outfit certainly showed more purpose after the break, although Dan Brown was thwarted by keeper Gidley in the 48th minute, after latching onto Lennon’s through ball. Gidley held a Lennon effort on 56 minutes, but two minutes later Barlick were back in the game when Fogg was dispossessed, although there was a hint of a foul, and leading scorer Joseph Gaughan fired Matthew Simpson’s pass past Matthew Johnson. Things became even worse for the home side in the 64th minute when Mark Threlfall breaking free down the left struck his shot against the Alsager bar and Ben Gorman reacted quickly to net the rebound.
With the game now in the balance and both side guilty of missing decent opportunities, Chris M. Smith, on as a replacement for the tiring Dan Brown, latched onto Josh Crofts’ neat pass and fired the ball past Gidley with the Bullets successfully seeing out the closing moments to claim those much needed points.

Forthcoming fixtures:
Saturday 6th February v Silsden (A). Kick-off 3.00pm.

Tuesday 9th February v Abbey Hey (H). Kick-off 7.45pm.

Alsager Town: M. Johnson, Machin, Stubbs, Fogg, Clarkson, Koludzyk, T. Brown, McDonald (Crofts), D.Brown (C.M. Smith), Lennon (R. Smith), Skellern. Sub (not used) Macintosh, Jones.

Attendance: 93
Ian Woodward.

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