Solid win at Abbey Hey

Bears winning start to the league season continued with a fairly comfortable victory at Abbey Hey on Tuesday night.

There were a number of changes to the starting 11 that lost in the FA Cup to Consett on Saturday.

The first half was where most of the action happened with the Bears going in 3-0 at half time. They were much the stronger side and dominated the early exchanges, with the home side depending on breakaways to fashion their chances.

The opening goal came from the head of Abbey defender Power on 5 minutes. Good linking play between John Main and Mini Adegbenro saw the latter put in a testing cross which Power could only head into his own goal. The Bears continued to be the more creative and Billy Hasler-Cregg was causing mayhem down the right. He brought off a good save from former Bears keeper Heywood on 13 with a rasping shot which was turned round the post for a corner. Abbey were almost level on 20 minutes. A Bears attack broke down with some poor passing and it took a timely tackle from Jack Disney to keep the home side out.

On 35, Hasler-Cregg combined well with Main, whose shot on the turn came back off the post and across goal and was put out for a corner. Dean Warburton struck the corner perfectly and Matthew Jamieson rose above the home defenders to power the ball into the net for his first Bears goal, 2-0.

The third goal came in first half added time. Bears keeper Craig Ellison kicked a pin point ball down field to Dan Cope out wide on the left, he controlled the ball, pulled in back to Adegbenro who struck it sweetly on the volley past the helpless Heywood.

Half Time Abbey Hey 0-3 Congleton Town

The second saw the Bears sit back, with the aim of protecting the points. Abbey had much more of the play but failed to really trouble Ellison in the Bears goal. Main came close for the Bears with a run and shot which whistled over the bar and then Hasler-Cregg was fouled in the box but managed to run on but put his shot wide. Abbey’s best chance came from a 25 yard shot which Jamieson managed to get in the way of.

The Bears brought on Bevan Burey, Luke Taylor and Liam Moran late on and Burey had a chance to make it 4 when he picked up the ball out wide, ran past a defender and was denied only through an excellent save from Heywood.

The final whistle saw the Bears extend their unbeaten league run to 5 and they are still to concede a league goal. The win puts them up to third in the table and they will hope to carry the form into Saturday’s home fixture v West Didsbury and Chorlton.

Team: Ellison, Williams, Disney, Jamieson, Morris, Stephens, Hasler-Cregg (Burey 67), Warburton, Cope (Taylor 67), Main (Moran 78), Adegbenro