Lairds
4 Curzon Ashton 2 AET
If
you got up on Sunday morning and
saw the score in the Non League
Paper, you may be forgiven for thinking
that the Battleships are comfortably
through to the League Challenge
Cup Semi Finals.
Through? Yes! Comfortably? Certainly
not!!!
This
first ever meeting between these
two teams was always going to be
a tough game. Curzon lie in 5th
place in the league so are certainly
no pushovers.
Tough it was, that’s tough
as in physical as opposed to difficult.
After
a bright start by both teams, Lairds
took a deserved lead on 18 minutes,
from a floating corner Ian Cooke
headed down to Ronnie Morgan who,
with a stooping header nodded it
past Dave Fish in the Curzon goal.
Curzon
didn’t lose heart and on 30
minutes drew level with a well-taken
goal from Nick Allen. Inspired by
this Curzon pressed forward and
Leon Bimpson was called upon to
pull off a fine point blank save
in the 34th minute.
Lairds
lost Jamie McGuire with a leg injury
after a cluttering challenge, one
of many as Curzon battled to take
the game.
The
second half was an even matched
affair, Lairds with slightly the
upper hand. The game however, was
turned on its head when Phil Edgehill
broke free and slotted the ball
under Leon in the Lairds goal after
79 minutes.
The
tough tackling continued, Leon Bimpson
bravely fought on after a challenge
left him with a shoulder injury
and left two other players writhing
in the 6-yard box.
Curzon’s Simon Kay was sent
off after a thunderous tackle on
Ronnie Morgan, the painful sound
of which echoed out of the ground
and across the Mersey.
As
the game approached full time, it
seemed that Curzon would be going
home with the spoils, inflicting
only the second defeat on Lairds
in 29 games.
You should know by now never to
hold your breath at Kirklands, up
popped Ian Cooke to rifle the ball
past Fish in the 85th minute!!!
Extra time!!!.
Lairds
were back to their normal selves
in the added time, despite the injuries
they controlled the ball well and
it was no surprise when Rocket Ronnie,
took the ball round Dave Fish and
hoofed it home, 3-2 to The Battleships!!
Curzon’s
heads dropped and Lairds took further
advantage when, Yes it’s that
man again!! Ronnie Morgan cheekily
back heeled into the net from 2
yards out, game over!!!
Leon
Bimpson’s shoulder injury
meant that he was forced off in
the last session of extra time,
seeing Ian Cooke take the gloves
and keep a 15-minute clean sheet!!
Worrying
injuries for Lairds ahead of the
massive FA Vase tie next weekend,
more fixture congestion ahead. Let’s
hope Ian and the lads ride the storm.
It’s not going to be easy,
but after the commitment shown today,
certainly possible!!
|
Jamie
McGuire in the thick of it |
Paul
Mcloughlin
