Dominant first half sets up Bears win
The Bears were looking to build on Saturday’s FA Vase win at in-form Charnock and did so in style with three excellent first half goals. They included new signing Tom Ashton on the bench.
Charnock nearly got on the score sheet in the opening minute when a cross was saved brilliantly by Craig Ellison from his own defender, Anthony Griffith. Seconds later a ball out wide picked out Dan Cope and his perfect cross found the head of Liam Moran who powered the header home. 1-0 Bears.
Ellison had a great 90 minutes and commanded his box well whenever crosses came in. Twenty minutes in and strong play by Paul Speed on the left saw a pass to John Main who looked up and curled a beauty beyond the despairing dive of Ascroft, 2-0 Bears.
Goal scorer Moran the went down with a nasty ankle injury and had to be stretchered off being replaced by Mini Adegbenro. The Bears continued to push and looked dangerous every time they went forward. Jonathan Beaumont went close after more good play from Paul Connor and Adegbenro then on 43 minutes there pressure told, Tom Morris powering home the ball, 3-0. With the final kick of the half he almost made it 4-0 with a rasping shot that Ascroft turned onto the bar.
Half Time Charnock Richard 0-3 Congleton Town
The early exchanges of the second half again saw the Bears pressing with Adegbenro winning a corner and Beaumont causing panic in the home defence.
Cope should have scored when in on a one-on-one with the keeper but Ascroft saved well and Adegbenro volleyed the rebound over the bar.
Charnock now started to push and should have scored when a free header crashed off the post and Ellison smothered the rebound, then pulled off a smart save pint blank at his near post. Ashton then came on for Connor to add fresh legs but the home side continued to push and Ellison made a superb reflex save and then McLellan blocked the rebound shot on the line. Final sub saw Jonathan Higham on for Cope.
The Bears defense was finally breached in the 84th minute, a cross in led to confusion in the six yard box and in the melee Haydock poked home from close range, 3-1 Bears.
The final minutes saw the Bears playing out time, even so Charnock had chances and the defenders were kept busy.
Full Time: Charnock Richard 1-3 Congleton Town
Team: Ellison, Williams, Beaumont, McLellan, Morris, Griffith, Connor (Ashton 68), Speed, Cope (Higham 79), Moran (Adegbenro 32), Main
Subs: Lorde, Peters
Attendance 131: Bears MOM Anthony Griffith