Tuesday 19th September 2023
NWCFL Premier Division
Matchday 13
Glossop North End 1
Yoak 64
West 3
Billingsley 30, 90
Cook 72
Attendance: 204
Glossop North End
1 Hood, 2 D. Badrock, 3 Haslam (15 Freedman 79), 4 Darby, 5 Stanyer (17 Burey 86), 6 Yoak, 7 Gillam (14 Katumba 55), 8 Ince, 9 J. Badrock, 10 Valentine, 11 Etia. Subs not used: 12 Lawless, 16 Hopkins.
West Didsbury & Chorlton
1 Wynne, 2 Cook (c), 3 Graham, 4 Dickinson (16 Eme 75), 5 Hampson, 6 Smyth, 7 Billingsley, 8 Schofield, 9 Grimshaw (17 Elliott 61), 10 Davis, 11 Matthews (12 Delaney 86). Subs not used: 14 Taylor, 15 Foulds.
It wasn’t as straightforward as it should’ve been. A goal up against a bottom-four side who played half of the game with nine men, West somehow let Glossop draw level just after the hour - before finally getting their act together in the last 20 minutes to win all three points.
It was chaotic rather than a classic. But after West were desperately unlucky to drop points in the dying seconds at Pilkington three days earlier, they’ll take the win now and ask questions later.
West made four changes from that 3-3 draw at Pilkington, with Callum Graham, Ben Hampson, Tom Schofield and Billy Matthews replacing Connor Hancock (bench), Markell Foulds (bench), Laurence Taylor (not in the matchday squad) and Ben Elliott (bench) in the starting lineup.
Despite the wild weather before - and often during - the game, Glossop’s pitch looked immaculate, allowing both sides to play some sumptuous football on the Asgard Engineering Stadium surface early on. Within minutes, Rhain Davis fooled the away following into thinking West had taken the lead - but his low shot, following some tremendous wing work from Billy Matthews, hit the outside of the net rather than the back of it.
Down at the Burger King end, David Badrock’s whopper of a throw set up the Hillmen’s first chance of the evening - but Matthew Gillam’s effort on the turn looped onto the top of the bar and into the drive thru.
West started to take control of the game, and the breakthrough came on half an hour when Rhain Davis’ volleyed pass found Lewis BILLINGSLEY . A turn past the home side’s last man left him with just goalkeeper Louis Hood to beat - and he did. 1-0 to West.
While West couldn’t double their lead - Hampson came closest from a Schofield free-kick - they found themselves in control for the rest of the first half when the Hillmen were reduced to nine men. Nathan Valentine got two cards for fouls on Sam Dickinson and Matty Cook, and two minutes later Moses Yoak was sin-binned for dissent. Glossop had self-destructed, but West couldn’t capitalise on their possession and temporary two-man advantage before the break.
But just as Yoak returned to the field two minutes into the second half, the Hillmen went down to nine men permanently when Jacques Etia used excessive force in a challenge with Elliott Wynne who’d rushed out of his area to clear a long ball. Etia - who was already on a booking - was given a straight red.
West didn’t quite seem sure how to react, and the home side didn’t give up. They reduced West to half-chances, with only Dickinson coming close to doubling the lead, before another Badrock throw caused confusion and YOAK made amends for his earlier sin-binning by scoring from close range. West were in serious trouble.
Glossop looked happy to settle for a draw, while West knew that anything less than a win would’ve been desperately disappointing.
West set up camp in the North End half, and the last twenty minutes resembled a training session with player after player queuing up to try and score against the tiring Hillmen. Substitute Ben Elliott came closest - drawing a great save from Hood - before Tom Schofield slalomed into the box and laid the ball off to captain COOK who just put it in the goal with a lovely shot from the edge of the area.
Huge chances followed for Elliot (side netting) and Delaney (post). Then, just as the clock ticked past 90, BILLINGSLEY finally made the game comfortable when he finished Delaney’s low cross from close range.
3-1 and - finally - game over, courtesy of West’s new top scorer.
Glossop showed more than enough to suggest that they won’t be hanging around the bottom end of the table for too much longer. While West were well off their best, come the end of the season when the Hillmen are well clear of the relegation places, the Ampersands may well look back at this as a big three points.
Your Burton Road Brewing Co Supporter of the Match was Rich family and his Player of the Match was Matt Cook.
Listen to the Chris Rowley interview here, sponsored by Steve Eckersley.
Browse the full match gallery, by Si Cook and Chris Michell, below.
Midweek results
Tuesday 19th September 2023
Premier Division
AFC Liverpool P-P Pilkington
Postponed due to ground being unavailable
Chadderton 3-2 Burscough
Charnock Richard P-P Barnoldswick Town
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch
Glossop North End 1-3 West Didsbury & Chorlton
Irlam P-P FC Isle of Man
Postponed due to severe weather warning
Prestwich Heys P-P Kendal Town
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch
Ramsbottom United P-P Wythenshawe Town
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch
Squires Gate 0-2 Bury
Wythenshawe 5-1 Padiham
Lancashire Challenge Trophy 1st Round
Colne P-P Nelson
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch
Longridge Town P-P Garstang
Postponed due to waterlogged pitch
Thursday 21st September 2023
Premier Division
Lower Breck 0-0 Cheadle Town
Tuesday 19th September 2023
While West couldn’t double their lead - Hampson came closest from a Schofield free-kick - they found themselves in control for the rest of the first half when the Hillmen were reduced to nine men. Nathan Valentine got two cards for fouls on Sam Dickinson and Matty Cook, and two minutes later Moses Yoak was sin-binned for dissent. Glossop had self-destructed, but West couldn’t capitalise on their possession and temporary two-man advantage before the break.
3-1 and - finally - game over, courtesy of West’s new top scorer. 
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