Tuesday 24th September 2024
NWCFL Premier Division
Matchday 10
FC St Helens 0
West Didsbury & Chorlton 1
Holt 51
Attendance: 182
West line-up:
1 Martin (c), 2 Kenny, 3 Sutton, 4 Riley, 5 Jones (14 Moore 76), 6 Hughes (15 Murray 68), 7 Whiteoak (12 Rowney 68), 8 Holt, 9 Abadaki (16 Wharton 76), 10 Lazenbury (17 Grimshaw 88), 11 Matthews.
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Kris Holt's calm finish early in the second half was the difference on West's first ever visit to FC St Helens.
Paul Marshall made three changes to the side that defeated FC Isle of Man at the weekend, with Paul Riley, Charlie Whiteoak and Kris Holt replacing Jimmy Moore, Chris Rowney and Tom Murray.
Both sides started brightly and West momentarily thought they had the lead on 11 minutes when Abadaki ran onto Hughes' chipped through ball, but Jordan Lazenbury had been flagged offside as the pass came over.
The first half was a battle of to and fro, with the scoreline somehow still blank after three big chances in the space of five minutes.
Firstly, the Stripes' Joe Barker got his angles wrong, heading wide from in front of goal, then Connor Speirs was already wheeling away in celebration only to see his shot bounce back off the far post into Ollie Martin's arms.
West immediately responded with Lazenbury firing over then Holt dragging a shot wide after good work by Matthews on the right.
The second half had barely settled when West took the lead. Matthews again dangerous on the unfamiliar right wing, crossing low for Abadaki to lay off for HOLT to make amends for his earlier chance, sweetly stroking the ball beyond Mason.
The remainder of the game became tetchy as frustrations simmered without reaching boiling point. West had Moore and Abadaki booked before Wharton was sin binned in the closing stages but the Stripes failed to make their numerical advantage pay. In fact the game ended 10 v 10 as Speirs also talked himself into the sin bin in stoppage time.
West absorbed all the Stripes could muster in attack, Martin superb in keeping a clean sheet for the second time this season to ensure the points came back to M21.
That's now four league wins on the bounce and we have to go back to May 2018 for the last time West did that at this level.
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Listen to manager Paul Marshall's post-match thoughts here:
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Your Burton Road Brewing Co Supporter of the Match was Charlie and his Player of the Match was Kris Holt.
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Browse through our wonderful match galleries, from club photographers:
Nathan Ashmall, Chris Michell, Jack Todd and Christina Bowett.
